A current sensor is configured to measure current flowing in two bus bars aligned in an X direction and extending parallel in a Y direction. A sensing element is arranged such that its magnetism sensing direction is oriented in the X direction on a line passing through the bus bar in a Z direction. A pair of shield plates sandwiches the bus bar and the sensing element therebetween in the Z direction. The bus bar is located between the sensing element and the lower shield plate. The sensing element is located closer to the upper shield plate than to the lower shield plate. At least one of a thickness and a magnetic permeability of the magnetism shield plates is greater in the upper shield plate than in the lower shield plate.

A current sensor is configured to measure current flowing in two bus bars aligned in an X direction and extending parallel in a Y direction. A sensing element is arranged such that its magnetism sensing direction is oriented in the X direction on a line passing through the bus bar in a Z direction. A pair of shield plates sandwiches the bus bar and the sensing element therebetween in the Z direction. The bus bar is located between the sensing element and the lower shield plate. The sensing element is located closer to the upper shield plate than to the lower shield plate. At least one of a thickness and a magnetic permeability of the magnetism shield plates is greater in the upper shield plate than in the lower shield plate.

An integrated circuit has a substrate, a circuit, a core structure, a first encapsulation layer, a second encapsulation layer, and an oxide layer. The circuit includes transistors with active regions developed on the substrate and a metal layer formed above the active regions to provide interconnections for the transistors. The core structure is formed above the metal layer. The first encapsulation layer covers the core structure, and it has a first thermal expansion coefficient. The second encapsulation layer covers the first encapsulation layer over the core structure, and it has a second thermal expansion coefficient that is different from the first thermal expansion coefficient. As a part of the stress relief structure, the oxide layer is formed above the second encapsulation layer. The oxide layer includes an oxide thickness sufficient to mitigate a thermal stress between the first and second encapsulation layers.

A method of magnetic forming an integrated fluxgate sensor includes providing a patterned magnetic core on a first nonmagnetic metal or metal alloy layer on a dielectric layer over a first metal layer that is on or in an interlevel dielectric layer (ILD) which is on a substrate. A second nonmagnetic metal or metal alloy layer is deposited including over and on sidewalls of the magnetic core. The second nonmagnetic metal or metal alloy layer is patterned, where after patterning the second nonmagnetic metal or metal alloy layer together with the first nonmagnetic metal or metal alloy layer encapsulates the magnetic core to form an encapsulated magnetic core. After patterning, the encapsulated magnetic core is magnetic field annealed using an applied magnetic field having a magnetic field strength of at least 0.1 T at a temperature of at least 150 C.

A magnetic sensor device comprises a thin film first magnetic body provided with a magnetic path convergence/divergence section arranged on a predetermined axis, and at least a pair of wing-shaped sections extending from the magnetic path convergence/divergence section toward the opposite sides of the axis, a thin film second magnetic body provided with a magnetic path convergence/divergence section arranged on the predetermined axis to be spaced from the magnetic path convergence/divergence section of the first magnetic body, at least a pair of wing-shaped sections extending from this magnetic path convergence divergence toward the opposite sides of the axis, a first coil wound around the first magnetic body, a second coil wound around the second magnetic body, and a magnetoresistance effect element arranged between the magnetic path convergence/divergence section of the first magnetic body and the of the second magnetic body, wherein the first coil applies a magnetic field to a magnetic path of the first magnetic body, the magnetic path converging/diverging from/to the at least a pair of wing-shaped sections of the first magnetic body to/from the magnetic path convergence/divergence section the second coil applies a magnetic field to a magnetic path of the second magnetic body, the magnetic path diverging/converging from/to the magnetic path convergence/divergence section to/from the at least a pair of wing-shaped sections of the first magnetic body, and a magnetic field is applied to the magnetoresistance effect element along the converged magnetic path.

A magnetic sensor device includes a thin film first magnetic body provided with a magnetic path convergence/divergence section arranged on a predetermined axis, and at least a pair of wing-shaped sections extending from the magnetic path convergence/divergence section toward the opposite sides of said axis, a thin film second magnetic body provided with a magnetic path convergence/divergence section arranged on the predetermined axis to be spaced from the magnetic path convergence/divergence section of the first magnetic body, at least a pair of wing-shaped sections extending from this magnetic path convergence divergence toward the opposite sides of the axis, a first coil wound around the first magnetic body, a second coil wound around the second magnetic body, and a magnetoresistance effect element arranged between the magnetic path convergence/divergence section of the first magnetic body and the of the second magnetic body.

A magnetic sensor device includes a thin film first magnetic body provided with a magnetic path convergence/divergence section arranged on a predetermined axis, and at least a pair of wing-shaped sections extending from the magnetic path convergence/divergence section toward the opposite sides of said axis, a thin film second magnetic body provided with a magnetic path convergence/divergence section arranged on the predetermined axis to be spaced from the magnetic path convergence/divergence section of the first magnetic body, at least a pair of wing-shaped sections extending from this magnetic path convergence divergence toward the opposite sides of the axis, a first coil wound around the first magnetic body, a second coil wound around the second magnetic body, and a magnetoresistance effect element arranged between the magnetic path convergence/divergence section of the first magnetic body and the of the second magnetic body.

Disclosed are a magnetic sensor chip and a magnetic sensor. The magnetic sensor chip comprises a magnetic sensitive film (2, 21), and in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic sensitive film (2, 21) are provided a number n of suppression units (4) capable of achieving the sectionalized suppression of a demagnetizing field, where the number n is an integer equal to or greater than 2. By means of the suppression units (4) arranged in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic sensitive film (2, 21), the magnetic sensitive film (2, 21) to achieve a suppression of a demagnetizing field, so as to reduce or even eliminate the hysteresis of the magnetic sensitive film (2, 21), thus improving the sensitivity of the magnetic sensor chip.

Disclosed are a magnetic sensor chip and a magnetic sensor. The magnetic sensor chip comprises a magnetic sensitive film (2, 21), and in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic sensitive film (2, 21) are provided a number n of suppression units (4) capable of achieving the sectionalized suppression of a demagnetizing field, where the number n is an integer equal to or greater than 2. By means of the suppression units (4) arranged in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic sensitive film (2, 21), the magnetic sensitive film (2, 21) to achieve a suppression of a demagnetizing field, so as to reduce or even eliminate the hysteresis of the magnetic sensitive film (2, 21), thus improving the sensitivity of the magnetic sensor chip.

An integrated sensor device includes: a semiconductor substrate comprising a horizontal Hall element, and an integrated magnetic flux concentrator located substantially above said horizontal Hall element, wherein the first magnetic flux concentrator has a shape with a geometric center which is aligned with a geometric centre of the horizontal Hall element; and wherein the shape has a height H and a transversal dimension D, wherein H30 m and/or wherein (H/D)25%. The integrated magnetic flux concentrator may be partially incorporated in the interconnection stack. A method is provided for producing such an integrated sensor device.