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How CSD and CSX measure touch
CSD: self-capacitance
CSD stands for CapSense sigma-delta. It measures a sensor electrode’s self-capacitance. In the design guide’s described signal path, a switched-capacitance circuit converts the sensor capacitance into current, an analog multiplexer selects the sensor current, and a current-to-digital converter produces a raw count representing the sensor response.
CSX: mutual capacitance
CSX means CapSense crosspoint. It measures mutual capacitance between Tx and Rx electrodes. In the guide’s third- and fourth-generation description, a clocked signal excites Tx and the system measures the response at Rx. That implementation uses an 8-bit IDAC and sigma-delta converter, AMUXBUS A, clock generation for Tx and modulator clocks, and external capacitors; hardware details vary by device generation.
Because the methods use different electrode relationships and hardware, choosing between them begins with the target device and electrode design—not simply a firmware preference. Infineon’s AN85951 PSoC 4 and PSoC 6 MCU CapSense Design Guide describes the methods and their design considerations.
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Which method fits your design?
Use the target MCU’s documentation to confirm support, then weigh the electrode arrangement and product requirements. Family names alone are not enough to establish that a specific implementation is available: Infineon notes, for example, that PSoC 4100 does not support the CSX implementation described in the guide.
- Consider CSD when a self-capacitance electrode arrangement suits the product and the target device supports the required configuration.
- Consider CSX when the design calls for mutual-capacitance sensing across Tx and Rx electrodes and the MCU supports the required implementation.
- Check board constraints such as electrode count and geometry, available pins, parasitic capacitance, routing, and external-component requirements before committing to either approach.
Neither method guarantees a particular touch performance on its own. The PCB, sensor construction, grounding, interference, and firmware configuration all contribute to the result.
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Generation affects the comparison
AN85951 gives the following architecture comparison figures. The SNR values are the guide’s table results under its stated comparison conditions—VDD = 5 V, no firmware filter, Cp approximately 33 pF, and Cf = 0.1 pF—not guaranteed results for a particular application.
| CapSense generation | SNR in AN85951 comparison | Sensor parasitic-capacitance range in AN85951 |
|---|---|---|
| Third | 5:1 | 5–45 pF |
| Fourth | 6.5:1 | 5–200 pF |
| Fifth | 48:1 | 2–200 pF |
These are Infineon’s design-guide comparison values, not independent test results or a promise of board-level performance. Check which CapSense architecture the exact MCU implements and consult its applicable documentation before using a generation-level figure to make a design decision.
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Choose a tuning approach
SmartSense for supported CSD widgets
Infineon recommends SmartSense for conventional buttons, sliders, and touchpads when the sensor capacitance is within the supported range, scan time meets response-time and power needs, and memory requirements are acceptable. SmartSense sets sensing parameters based on specified finger-capacitance values and compensates for system, manufacturing, and environmental changes. Infineon describes it as a method that “automatically sets sensing parameters for optimal performance” and “continuously compensates” for those changes in AN85951.
SmartSense currently supports CSD widgets only; CSX widgets require manual tuning. Treat the supported capacitance, scan-time, and memory requirements as design checks, not assumptions—verify them for the component and device you are using.
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Manual tuning for control or specialized use
Manual tuning takes more engineering effort, but gives tighter control over behavior such as response time and power use and supports specialized applications, including proximity and liquid-level sensing. SmartSense can also help establish initial hardware parameters before a design moves to manual tuning.
Infineon’s PSoC 4 code examples include manual CSD button and slider tuning, manual CSX button tuning through the CAPSENSE Tuner, and other sensing examples.
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Layout and noise affect the result
Sensor construction and placement, pin selection, trace routing, grounding, external components where required, and firmware tuning all influence sensing performance. Keep switching signals such as PWM, I2C, and LED signals away from CapSense traces. AN85951 gives at least 4 mm separation with hatched ground between CapSense traces and switching signals as a guideline; follow the target device’s design guidance and validate the layout under the product’s intended operating conditions.
Liquid and external-noise cases
For designs where liquid can cause false activations on a mutual-capacitance sensor, Infineon’s examples include hybrid scanning: measuring self-capacitance on Tx and Rx nodes as well as mutual capacitance, using CSD and CSX modes. The example index also documents multi-frequency scans for CSD and CSX to mitigate false touches under external noise. These are design approaches to evaluate, not guarantees that a given board will be immune to liquid or interference.
Check component and example compatibility
The PSoC 4 Capacitive Sensing (CAPSENSE) ADC component page describes CSD and CSX sensing, configuration tools, APIs, a graphical tuner, and widgets including buttons, matrix buttons, sliders, touchpads, and proximity. It also states that CAPSENSE ADC v3.0 and later are not backward compatible with CAPSENSE_CSD_P4 v2.40 or older. Check the exact component version, MCU, and feature set before migrating a project.
The PSoC 4 application-note index lists AN85951 and related references, including AN92239 on proximity sensing and AN234231 on lowest-power CapSense for PSoC 4000T. The code-example index includes CSD and CSX tuning, liquid-tolerant hybrid scanning, multi-frequency and pipeline scans, proximity examples, and low-power variants. Confirm each example’s hardware and target-device requirements before adapting it.
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