A MEMS triaxial magnetic sensor device includes a sensing structure having: a substrate; an outer frame, which internally defines a window and is elastically coupled to first anchorages fixed with respect to the substrate by first elastic elements; a mobile structure arranged in the window, suspended above the substrate, which is elastically coupled to the outer frame by second elastic elements and carries a conductive path for flow of an electric current; and an elastic arrangement operatively coupled to the mobile structure. The mobile structure performs, due to the first and second elastic elements and the arrangement of elastic elements, first, second, and third sensing movements in response to Lorentz forces from first, second, and third magnetic-field components, respectively. The first, second, and third sensing movements are distinct and decoupled from one another.

A magnetic field sensor includes a die and a current generator in the die. The current generator generates a driving current. A Lorentz force transducer is also formed in the die and coupled to the current generator to obtain measurements of a magnetic field based upon the Lorentz force. The magnetic field has a resonance frequency and the current generator drives the Lorentz force sensor with the driving current having a non-zero frequency different from the resonance frequency.

The present description relates to a device (20) for detecting a magnetic field (B.sub.z) comprising a first tapered acoustic waveguide (40) having a first base (41) and a first tapered end (42), a first electrically conductive wire (50) rigidly coupled to the first tapered end (42), and an electroacoustic transducer (60) rigidly coupled to the first base (41).

A magnetometer system has a magnetometer, an interface circuit and an electronic demodulator, the interface circuit being coupled to sense electrodes disposed on the magnetometer and the demodulator being coupled to the interface circuit. Preferably, the magnetometer has a loop electrode which follows an outline of the shape of an active portion of the magnetometer and wherein the electronic demodulator has an output for driving the loop electrode of the magnetometer. Preferably, the magnetometer includes a quartz plate with flexural and thickness shear vibratory modes and wherein the flexural vibratory mode is driven, in use, into vibration by the electronic demodulator and wherein the thickness shear vibratory mode is driven, in use, into vibration by the interface circuit.

A solidly mounted resonator (SMR)-based magnetoelectric (ME) antenna comprises a substrate, a Bragg reflector disposed on the substrate, a magnetostrictive/piezoelectric ME composite element disposed on the Bragg reflector, a first electrically conductive contact and a second electrically conductive contact. The first contact is disposed between the Bragg reflector and the magnetostrictive/piezoelectric ME composite element and electrically coupled to a bottom surface of the magnetostrictive/piezoelectric ME composite element. The second contact is disposed on top of the magnetostrictive/piezoelectric ME composite element and electrically coupled to the top of the magnetostrictive/piezoelectric ME composite element. The magnetostrictive/piezoelectric ME composite element comprises a magnetorestrictive multilayer deposited on a piezoelectric layer. The magnetorestrictive multilayer produces an in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (UMA). The UMA is a twofold UMA that exhibits a symmetric radiation pattern.

An on-chip electrical coil includes a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of metal layers disposed on the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of insulator layers disposed on the semiconductor substrate, each insulator layer disposed between a pair of neighboring metal layers to form an alternating arrangement of metal layers and insulator layers; a plurality of metal vias defined in the insulator layers, each metal via electrically connecting a respective pair of neighboring metal layers; and a planar spiral formed by the metal layers and the metal vias, the planar spiral including a plurality of interconnected loops, each loop including two metal wires disposed in respective metal layers, an intra-loop column that electrically connects the two metal wires of a respective loop, and an inter-loop column that electrically connects one of the metal wires of the respective loop to one of the metal wires in a subsequent loop.

A three-dimensional on-chip magnetic sensor includes first, second, and third coils. The first and second coils include respective planar spirals formed by metal layers and metal vias. Each planar spiral of the first coil includes first interconnected loops wound about a first axis, where neighboring first planar spirals are electrically connected to each other. Each planar spiral of the second coil includes second interconnected loops wound about a second axis, where neighboring second planar spirals are electrically connected to each other. The third coil has a planar spiral includes third interconnected loops that are wound about a third axis. Each electrically conductive coil is configured to produce a respective electromagnetic force (EMF) induced by an oscillating magnetic field, the respective EMF driving a respective alternating current (AC) through the respective readout circuit. Each readout circuit is configured to detect a respective peak voltage magnitude of the respective AC.

A MEMS sensor according to the present invention includes a base substrate including a displaceably supported movable portion and a lid substrate covering the movable portion and functioning as a magnetic sensor that detects magnetism by making use of the Hall effect.

According to various aspects, a sensor system is provided comprising a first substrate configured to be coupled to a user, an electric field detector to detect a user electric field and comprising a second substrate, a proof mass positioned above the second substrate, one or more electrodes coupled to the second substrate, and a control circuit coupled to the one or more electrodes, the control circuit being configured to determine a change in capacitance between the proof mass and each electrode responsive to torsional movement of the proof mass responsive to the electric field, and a controller coupled to the first substrate and being configured to receive, from the detector, information indicative of each change in capacitance between the proof mass and each electrode, and determine, based on the information, characteristics of the electric field in at least two dimensions.

A high-sensitivity and ultra-low power consumption magnetic sensor using a magnetoelectric (ME) composite comprising of magnetostrictive and piezoelectric layers. This sensor exploits the magnetically driven resonance shift of a free-standing magnetoelectric micro-beam resonator. Also disclosed is the related method for making the magnetic sensor.