A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes aligning an alignment structure of a wafer to a direction of a magnetic field created by an external electromagnet and depositing a magnetic layer (e.g., NiFe) over the wafer in the presence of the magnetic field and while applying the magnetic field and maintaining a temperature of the wafer below 150° C. An insulation layer (e.g., AlN) is deposited on the first magnetic layer. The alignment structure of the wafer is again aligned to the direction of the magnetic field and a second magnetic layer is deposited on the insulation layer, in the presence of the magnetic field and while maintaining the temperature of the wafer below 150° C.

According to embodiments there is provided a magneto-resistive sensor module. The sensor module may comprise: an integrated circuit; magneto-resistive sensor elements arranged as a bridge circuit monolithically integrated on the integrated circuit; and a stress buffer layer arranged between the integrated circuit and the magneto-resistive sensor element. There is also a provided a method of manufacturing the magneto-resistive sensor module.

A fluxgate device that includes a first magnetic core and a second magnetic core. The first magnetic core has a first magnetized direction that deviates from a first sense direction by more than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees. The second magnetic core is arranged orthogonally to the first magnetic core. The second magnetic core has a second magnetized direction that deviates from a second sense direction by more than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees.

In one example, circuitry is formed in a semiconductor die. A magnetic concentrator is formed on a surface of the semiconductor die and over the circuitry. An isolation spacer is placed on a lead frame. The semiconductor die is placed on the isolation spacer, and the magnetic concentrator is aligned to overlap the lead frame. Electrical interconnects are formed between the semiconductor die and the lead frame.

A magnetic sensor comprising: an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); an insulating protective film formed on a surface of the ASIC; a substrate film formed on the insulating protective film; and a magnetic field detection element formed on the substrate film, the magnetic field detection element including two magnetic wires on the substrate film, a detection coil surrounding the two magnetic wires, two electrodes coupled to the two magnetic wires for wire energization, and two electrodes coupled to the coil for coil voltage detection.

The present disclosure generally relates to a Wheatstone bridge array that has four resistors. Each resistor includes a plurality of TMR films. Each resistor has identical TMR films. The TMR films of two resistors have reference layers that have an antiparallel magnetic orientation relative to the TMR films of the other two resistors. To ensure the antiparallel magnetic orientation, the TMR films are all formed simultaneously and annealed in a magnetic field simultaneously. Thereafter, the TMR films of two resistors are annealed a second time in a magnetic field while the TMR films of the other two resistors are not annealed a second time.

A magnetic sensor integrated circuit and a motor component are provided. The integrated circuit includes a housing, a semiconductor substrate arranged inside the housing, input ports and an output port which extend out from the housing, and an electronic circuit arranged on the semiconductor substrate. The electronic circuit includes a magnetic field detection circuit configured to detect and output a magnetic field inductive signal corresponding to an external magnetic field, and a voltage detection circuit configured to detect a specific voltage and output, in a case that the specific voltage reaches a predetermined value, a control signal for controlling the magnetic sensor integrated circuit to perform a preset action. The voltage detection circuit and the magnetic field detection circuit operate simultaneously.

A method for manufacturing a resistive device, includes depositing a first electrically conductive layer on a substrate; forming an etching mask on the first conductive layer; etching the first conductive layer through the mask, such as to obtain a plurality of electrically conductive pillars separated from one another; and forming storage elements with variable electrical resistance at the tops of the electrically conductive pillars, such that each storage element is supported by one of the electrically conductive pillars, the step of forming the storage elements including the following operations depositing a first layer by non-collimated cathode sputtering at normal incidence relative to the substrate; and depositing a second layer on the first layer by cathode sputtering, the second layer including a first chemical species sputtered at an oblique incidence.

A magnetoresistive sensor and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The method includes: forming an initial reference layer in an annular shape, wherein the initial reference layer includes an anti-ferromagnetic layer and a ferromagnetic layer; performing a heat treatment on the initial reference layer, wherein the ferromagnetic layer is magnetized to have a magnetization direction oriented along a vortex path during a heating step of the heat treatment, and an exchange bias oriented along the vortex path is induced at an interface of the anti-ferromagnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer during a cooling step of the heat treatment; patterning the initial reference layer to form separated reference layers, wherein the reference layers are respectively formed in a annular sector shape, and the reference layers are arranged along the vortex path; forming spacer layers and free layers to form magnetoresistive devices; routing the magnetoresistive devices to form the magnetoresistive sensor.