General Description
TCS3472
Color Light-to-Digital Converter with 
IR Filter 
The TCS3472 device provides a digital return of red, green, blue 
(RGB), and clear light sensing values. An IR blocking filter, 
integrated on-chip and localized to the color sensing 
photodiodes, minimizes the IR spectral component of the 
incoming light and allows color measurements to be made 
accurately. The high sensitivity, wide dynamic range, and IR 
blocking filter make the TCS3472 an ideal color sensor solution 
for use under varying lighting conditions and through 
attenuating materials.
The TCS3472 color sensor has a wide range of applications 
including RGB LED backlight control, solid-state lighting, 
health/fitness products, industrial process controls and medical 
diagnostic equipment. In addition, the IR blocking filter enables 
the TCS3472 to perform ambient light sensing (ALS). Ambient 
light sensing is widely used in display-based products such as 
cell phones, notebooks, and TVs to sense the lighting 
environment and enable automatic display brightness for 
optimal viewing and power savings. The TCS3472, itself, can 
enter a lower-power wait state between light sensing 
measurements to further reduce the average power 
consumption.
Ordering Information and Content Guide appear at end of 
datasheet.
Key Benefits & Features
The benefits and features of TCS3472, Color Light-to-Digital 
Converter with IR Filter are listed below:
Figure 1:
Added Value of Using TCS3472 
Benefits
Features
• Enables accurate color and light sensing 
measurements under varying lighting 
conditions by minimizing IR and UV spectral 
component effects
• Red, Green, Blue (RGB), and Clear Light
• Sensing with IR blocking filter
• Programmable analog gain and integration time
• 3,800,000:1 dynamic range
• Very high sensitivity - ideally suited for operation behind 
dark glass
• Programmable interrupt pin enables 
level-style interrupts when pre-set values are 
exceeded, thus reducing companion 
micro-processor overhead
• Maskable interrupt
• Programmable upper and lower thresholds with 
persistence filter
ams Datasheet
[v1-03] 2018-Mar-14
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TCS3472 −  General Description
Benefits
Features
• Enabling a low-power wait-state between 
RGBC measurements to reduce average 
power consumption
• Digital interfaces are less susceptible to 
noise
• Backward compatibility enables 
interchangeability and re-usability in 
systems
• Power management
• Low power - 2.5μA sleep state
• 65μA wait state with programmable wait state time from 
2.4ms to > 7 seconds
• I²C fast mode compatible interface
• Data rates up to 400 kbit/s
• Input voltage levels compatible with VDD or 1.8 VBUS
• Register set and pin compatible with the TCS3x71 series
• Reduces PCB space requirements while 
simplifying designs
• Small 2mm x 2.4mm dual flat no-lead
• FN package
Applications
The applications of TCS3472 include:
• RGB LED backlight control
• Light color temperature measurement
• Ambient light sensing for display backlight control
• Fluid and gas analysis
• Product color verification and sorting
End Products and Market Segments
• TVs, mobile handsets, tablets, computers, and monitors
• Consumer and commercial printing
• Medical and health fitness
• Solid state lighting (SSL) and digital signage
• Industrial automation
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ams Datasheet 
[v1-03] 2018-Mar-14
TCS3472 −  General Description
Figure 2:
Functional Block Diagram 
Block Diagram
The functional blocks of this device are shown below:
ams Datasheet 
[v1-03] 2018-Mar-14
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Detailed Description
TCS3472 −  Detailed Description
The TCS3472 light-to-digital converter contains a 3 × 4 
photodiode array, four analog-to-digital converters (ADC) that 
integrate the photodiode current, data registers, a state 
machine, and an I²C interface. The 3 × 4 photodiode array is 
composed of red-filtered, green-filtered, blue-filtered, and 
clear (unfiltered) photodiodes. In addition, the photodiodes are 
coated with an IR-blocking filter. The four integrating ADCs 
simultaneously convert the amplified photodiode currents to a 
16-bit digital value. Upon completion of a conversion cycle, the 
results are transferred to the data registers, which are 
double-buffered to ensure the integrity of the data. All of the 
internal timing, as well as the low-power wait state, is controlled 
by the state machine. 
Communication of the TCS3472 data is accomplished over a 
fast, up to 400 kHz, two-wire I²C serial bus. The industry 
standard I²C bus facilitates easy, direct connection to 
microcontrollers and embedded processors. 
In addition to the I²C bus, the TCS3472 provides a separate 
interrupt signal output. When interrupts are enabled, and 
user-defined thresholds are exceeded, the active-low interrupt 
is asserted and remains asserted until it is cleared by the 
controller. This interrupt feature simplifies and improves the 
efficiency of the system software by eliminating the need to 
poll the TCS3472. The user can define the upper and lower 
interrupt thresholds and apply an interrupt persistence filter. 
The interrupt persistence filter allows the user to define the 
number of consecutive out-of-threshold events necessary 
before generating an interrupt. The interrupt output is 
open-drain, so it can be wire-ORed with other devices.
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ams Datasheet 
[v1-03] 2018-Mar-14
TCS3472 −  Pin Assignment
Pin Assignment
Package FN Dual Flat No-Lead (Top 
View): Package drawing is not to scale.
The TCS3472 pin assignment is described below.
Figure 3:
Pin Diagram 
VDD    1
SCL    2
GND    3
6    SDA
5    INT
4     NC
Figure 4:
Pin Description 
Pin Number Pin Name
Pin Type
Description
1
2
3
4
5
6
VDD
SCL
GND
NC
INT
SDA
Supply voltage
Input
I²C serial clock input terminal – clock signal for I²C serial data
Power supply ground. All voltages are referenced to GND
Output
Output
No connect - do not connect
Interrupt - open drain (active low).
Input/Output
I²C serial data I/O terminal - serial data I/O for I²C.
ams Datasheet 
[v1-03] 2018-Mar-14
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Absolute Maximum Ratings
TCS3472 −  Absolute Maximum Ratings
Stresses beyond those listed under Absolute Maximum Ratings 
may cause permanent damage to the device. These are stress 
ratings only. Functional operation of the device at these or any 
other conditions beyond those indicated under Recommended 
Operating Conditions is not implied. Exposure to absolute 
maximum rated conditions for extended periods may affect 
device reliability.
Figure 5:
Absolute Maximum Ratings over Operating Free-Air Temperature Range (unless otherwise noted) 
Parameter
Min
Max
Units
Comments
All voltages are with respect to GND
Supply voltage, VDD
Input terminal voltage
Output terminal voltage
Output terminal current
Storage temperature range, Tstrg
3.8
3.8
3.8
20
85
- 0.5
- 0.5
- 1
- 40
ESD tolerance, human body model
±2000
V
V
V
mA
ºC
V
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[v1-03] 2018-Mar-14
TCS3472 −  Electrical Characteristics
Electrical Characteristics
Figure 6:
Recommended Operating Conditions
All limits are guaranteed. The parameters with min and max 
values are guaranteed with production tests or SQC (Statistical 
Quality Control) methods.
Symbol
Parameter
Conditions
Min
Typ Max Units
 TCS34725 (I²C VBUS = VDD)
 TCS34727 (I²C VBUS = 1.8 V)
VDD
Supply voltage
TA
Operating free - air 
temperature
3
3
2.7
2.7
-30
3.6
3.3
70
V
ºC
Figure 7:
Operating Characteristics, VDD = 3 V, TA = 25ºC (unless otherwise noted)
Symbol
Parameter
Conditions
Min
Typ Max
Units
IDD
Supply current
VOL
INT SDA output low voltage
Leakage current, SDA, SCL, 
INT pins 
Leakage current, LDR pin
SCL SDA input high voltage
SCL SDA input low voltage
ILEAK
VIH
VIL
Active
Wait state
Sleep state - no I²C activity
3 mA sink current
6 mA sink current
 TCS34725
TCS34727
TCS34725
TCS34727
235
65
2.5
330
10
0.4
0.6
5
5
0.3 VDD
0.54
μA
V
μA
V
V
0
0
-5
-5
0.7 VDD
1.25
ams Datasheet 
[v1-03] 2018-Mar-14
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TCS3472 −  Electrical Characteristics
Figure 8:
Optical Characteristics, VDD=3 V, TA= 25ºC, AGAIN = 16, ATIME = 0xF6 (unless otherwise noted)(1) 
Parameter
Test 
Conditions
Re
Irradiance
responsivity
λD = 465 nm(2)
λD = 525 nm(3)
λD = 615 nm(4)
Red 
Channel
Green 
Channel
Blue 
Channel
Clear Channel
Min Max Min Max Min Max Min
Typ Max
0% 
15% 
10% 
42% 
65% 
88% 
11.0 
13.8 
16.6
4% 
25% 
60% 
85% 
10% 
45% 
13.2 
16.6 
20.0
80% 
110% 
0% 
14% 
5% 
24% 
15.6 
19.5 
23.4
Unit
counts
/μW
/cm2
Notes:
1. The percentage shown represents the ratio of the respective red, green, or blue channel value to the clear channel value.
2. The 465 nm input irradiance is supplied by an InGaN light-emitting diode with the following characteristics: dominant wavelength 
λD = 465 nm, spectral halfwidth Δλ½ = 22 nm.
3. The 525 nm input irradiance is supplied by an InGaN light-emitting diode with the following characteristics: dominant wavelength 
λD = 525 nm, spectral halfwidth Δλ½ = 35 nm.
4. The 615 nm input irradiance is supplied by a AlInGaP light-emitting diode with the following characteristics: dominant wavelength 
λD = 615 nm, spectral halfwidth Δλ½ = 15 nm.
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ams Datasheet 
[v1-03] 2018-Mar-14