A magnetic field sensor array includes a plurality of sensor segments, each including a plurality of magnetic field sensors. A magnetizing current conductor is situated so as to run in the area of the magnetic field sensors in such a way that elements of the magnetic field sensors may be magnetized. A plurality of parallel-connected half-bridges, each including a high switch p.sub.J and a low switch n.sub.J, each include a center tap connection situated between the switches. The magnetizing current conductor is connected to each center tap connection, by means of which the magnetizing current conductor is divided into separately activatable magnetizing segments. Elements of a sensor segment are magnetized in that two switches n.sub.J and p.sub.J+1 having different electrical potentials, or alternatively p.sub.J and n.sub.J+1, of two directly adjacent half-bridges are closed simultaneously. At least one further switch n.sub.X<J or p.sub.Y>J+1 or alternatively p.sub.X<J or n.sub.Y>J+1 is closed.

A method of designing a magnetic sensor that can easily accommodate various design conditions is provided. The method has: preparing magnetic sensors, wherein, for each magnetic sensor, magnetization directions of the first to fourth magnetically pinned layers form first to fourth angles θ1 to θ4 relative to a specific reference angle, respectively, and θ1=θ3, θ2=θ4, θ1≠θ2, and each magnetic sensor has a value of θ1-θ2 that is different from values of 01-02 of remaining magnetic sensors, for each magnetic sensor, obtaining a relationship between an angular range of the magnetization direction of the first to fourth magnetically free layers and an output range of the magnetic sensor, wherein the angular range satisfies a specific linear relationship between the magnetization direction and the output of the magnetic sensor, and selecting a magnetic sensor that satisfies required conditions for the angular range and the output range from among the magnetic sensors.

A method for detecting a magnetic field using a spin-orbit torque magnetic field sensor is described. The spin-orbit torque magnetic field sensor comprises a magnetic layer having a switchable magnetic state. The method comprises: (i) providing an alternating current to the sensor for creating an oscillatory spin-orbit torque in the magnetic layer to switch the switchable magnetic state between two magnetic states; and (ii) measuring an output voltage of the sensor, the output voltage being dependent on the magnetic field and is a time average of a time-varying anomalous Hall voltage generated in the magnetic layer in response to the oscillatory spin-orbit torque and the magnetic field. The time-varying anomalous Hall voltage is a function of the alternating current and a Hall resistance of the magnetic layer, and the Hall resistance is associated with a duration in which the switchable magnetization is in each of the two magnetic states and the duration is associated with a magnitude and a polarity of the magnetic field. An apparatus for performing the method is also described.

Methods and apparatus for a sensor including a series of tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) pillars and a heatsink adjacent to at least one of the TMR pillars, where the heatsink comprises Titanium Nitride (TiN).

A double pinned magnetoresistance (MR) multilayer film, a full bridge MR sensor using the double pinned MR multilayer film and a method for manufacturing the full bridge MR sensor are provided in the present invention. The double pinned MR multilayer film comprises: a buffer layer, a first antiferromagnetic layer, a first ferromagnetic layer, a first interlayer, a ferromagnetic reference layer, a spacer layer, a ferromagnetic free layer, a second interlayer, a second ferromagnetic layer, a second antiferromagnetic layer and a cover layer that are stacked in sequence. The first antiferromagnetic layer applies a first exchange bias to the first ferromagnetic layer, and the first ferromagnetic layer applies a first artificial antiferromagnetic coupling to the ferromagnetic reference layer through the first interlayer. The second antiferromagnetic layer applies a second exchange bias to the second ferromagnetic layer, and the second ferromagnetic layer applies a second artificial antiferromagnetic coupling to the ferromagnetic free layer through the second interlayer. The full bridge MR sensor can not only realize the full bridge function in a single chip, but also has small zero point, simple annealing process and low cost through two global annealing.

In one aspect, a linear sensor includes at least one magnetoresistance element that includes a first spin valve and a second spin valve positioned on the first spin valve. The first spin valve includes a first set of reference layers having a magnetization direction in a first direction and a first set of free layers having a magnetization direction in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The second spin valve includes a second set of reference layers having a magnetization direction in the first direction and a second set of free layers having a magnetization direction in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and antiparallel to the second direction. The first direction is neither parallel nor antiparallel to a direction of an expected magnetic field.

A sensor package including a metal carrier and a sensor chip arranged on the metal carrier and having a first sensor element. In an orthogonal projection of the sensor chip onto a surface of the metal carrier, at least two edge sections of the sensor chip are free of overlap with the surface of the metal carrier. The sensor chip is designed to detect a magnetic field induced by an electric current flowing through a current conductor.

A Hall sensor includes a Hall well, such as an implanted region in a surface layer of a semiconductor structure, and four doped regions spaced apart from one another in the implanted region. The implanted region and the doped regions include majority carriers of the same conductivity type. The sensor also includes a dielectric layer that extends over the implanted region, and an electrode layer over the dielectric layer to operate as a control gate to set or adjust the sensor performance. A first supply circuit provides a first bias signal to a first pair of the terminals, and a second supply circuit provides a second bias signal to the electrode layer.

A method of manufacture of a sensor and a sensor for sensing a magnetic field generated by a current in a conductive substrate includes a first substrate having a sensing element for sensing magnetic field, and a second substrate is the conductive substrate. A conformal layer is provided by atomic layer deposition between the first substrate and the second substrate, thus protecting at least the sensing element from discharge from the second substrate.

In one aspect, a method includes forming a metal layer on a substrate, wherein the metal layer comprises a first coil, forming a planarized insulator layer on the metal layer, forming at least one via in the planarized insulator layer, depositing a magnetoresistance (MR) element on the planarized insulator layer, and forming a second coil extending above the MR element. The at least one via electrically connects to the metal layer on one end and to MR element on the other end.