Apparatus includes a first portion of conductive material having varying response to a generated magnetic field along a length of the conductive material, wherein the first portion of conductive material produces a varying eddy current and a varying reflected magnetic field, in response to the generated magnetic field. The apparatus further includes one or more reference portions of conductive material having a relatively invariable response to the generated magnetic field, wherein the reference portion of conductive material produces a relatively invariable eddy current and a relatively invariable reflected magnetic field in response to the generated magnetic field.

In a magnetic sensor using a magnetic impedance effect, sensitivity is improved as compared to the case where a width of a sensitive element in the short direction is equal from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction. The magnetic sensor includes: a non-magnetic substrate; and a sensitive element that is provided on the substrate, composed of a soft magnetic material, having a longitudinal direction and a short direction, provided with uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction, having a width at a center portion in the longitudinal direction that is smaller compared to a width at each of both end portions in the longitudinal direction, and sensing a magnetic field by a magnetic impedance effect.

The sensitivity of a magnetic sensor using a sensitive element sensing a magnetic field by the magnetic impedance effect is increased. The magnetic sensor includes: a sensitive element sensing a magnetic field by a magnetic impedance effect; and a focusing member provided to face the sensitive element, configured with a soft magnetic material, and focusing magnetic force lines from outside onto the sensitive element.

A magnetic sensor 10 includes: a non-magnetic substrate 11; a sensitive circuit 12 provided on a surface of the substrate 11 and including a sensitive part 121 sensing a magnetic field by a magnetic impedance effect; a terminal part 13a and a terminal part 13b connected to respective both end portions of the sensitive circuit 12; and a conductive returning member with one end portion being connected to the terminal part 13a, the returning member returning back toward the terminal part 13b.

A two-wire electronic circuit can sense a voltage across terminals of a transistor and control an electrical current of the two-wire electronic circuit in accordance with the sensed voltage.

An assembly for measuring a relative position of two movable elements (11, 12) with respect to one another. The assembly includes a ribbon having a magnetic strip, and two magnetic sensors. The ribbon is intended to be fastened to one of the two elements, and the magnetic sensors both to be fastened to the other element. One of the two magnetic sensors serves to precisely measure a relative position of the two elements within a period of orientation alternation of magnetic poles, and the other magnetic sensor serves to define an origin of the measurements in order to obtain an absolute-measurement result for the relative position of the two elements with respect to one another.

An assembly for measuring a relative position of two movable elements (11, 12) with respect to one another. The assembly includes a ribbon having a magnetic strip, and two magnetic sensors. The ribbon is intended to be fastened to one of the two elements, and the magnetic sensors both to be fastened to the other element. One of the two magnetic sensors serves to precisely measure a relative position of the two elements within a period of orientation alternation of magnetic poles, and the other magnetic sensor serves to define an origin of the measurements in order to obtain an absolute-measurement result for the relative position of the two elements with respect to one another.

A magnetic sensor 1 is provided with: a thin film magnet 20 configured with a hard magnetic material and having magnetic anisotropy in an in-plane direction; a sensitive part 30 including a sensitive element 31 configured with a soft magnetic material and disposed to face the thin film magnet 30, the sensitive element 31 having a longitudinal direction in which a magnetic flux generated by the thin film magnet 20 passes through and a short direction, having uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction, and sensing a change in a magnetic field; and a control layer 102 disposed on a side of the thin film magnet 20 opposite to a side of the thin film magnet 20 on which the sensitive element 31 is provided, the control layer 102 controlling the magnetic anisotropy of the thin film magnet 20 to be directed in the in-plane direction.

A distance measuring device with two magnetic field sensors and a permanent magnet and a semiconductor body is provided. The device includes a monolithically integrated evaluation circuit, and a difference signal can be determined by means of the magnetic field sensors and provides an output signal as a result of the determination. The value of the output signal based on the neutralization of a magnetic-flux-free region is a function of a distance of a ferromagnetic sensing element from the two magnetic field sensors. The semiconductor body is arranged between U-shaped pole shanks of the magnet, which is magnetized in the X direction, wherein the first magnetic field sensor is arranged in an area located between two opposing shanks of the first pole, and the second magnetic field sensor is arranged in an area located between two opposing shanks of the second pole.

A distance measuring device with two magnetic field sensors and a permanent magnet and a semiconductor body is provided. The device includes a monolithically integrated evaluation circuit, and a difference signal can be determined by means of the magnetic field sensors and provides an output signal as a result of the determination. The value of the output signal based on the neutralization of a magnetic-flux-free region is a function of a distance of a ferromagnetic sensing element from the two magnetic field sensors. The semiconductor body is arranged between U-shaped pole shanks of the magnet, which is magnetized in the X direction, wherein the first magnetic field sensor is arranged in an area located between two opposing shanks of the first pole, and the second magnetic field sensor is arranged in an area located between two opposing shanks of the second pole.