A microelectronic device has a Hall sensor that includes a Hall plate in a semiconductor material. The Hall sensor includes contact regions in the semiconductor material, contacting the Hall plate. The Hall sensor includes an isolation structure with a dielectric material contacting the semiconductor material, on at least two opposite sides of each of the contact regions. The isolation structure is laterally separated from the contact regions by gaps. The Hall sensor further includes a conductive spacer over the gaps, the conductive spacer being separated from the semiconductor material by an insulating layer.

A magnetic field sensor includes a phase-locked loop to receive a measured magnetic field signal formed from sensing element output signals of a plurality of magnetic field sensing elements in response to a magnetic field. The phase-locked loop is configured to generate an angle signal having a value indicative of the angle of the magnetic field. Associated methods are also described.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a vertical Hall element including a magnetosensitive portion, and formed in the semiconductor substrate; and an excitation wiring provided above a surface of the semiconductor substrate and apart from the magnetosensitive portion. The excitation wiring is formed of a single wiring with a plurality of turns. The excitation wiring includes a plurality of main wiring portions arranged side by side, and apart from one another in an overlapping region that overlaps the magnetosensitive portion as viewed in plan view from a direction orthogonal to the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and auxiliary wiring portions connecting each of the plurality of main wiring portions to one another in series.

Transistor devices are provided. In some example implementations, a magnetic field sensor chip is fitted on a load electrode of a transistor chip. In other example implementations, two magnetic field sensors are arranged on a load electrode of a transistor chip in such a way that they measure different effective magnetic fields in the event of current flow through the transistor chip.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to an on-chip current sensor. The on-chip current sensor includes: a vertical Hall sensor; and a current carrying conductor in a first wiring layer above the vertical Hall sensor.

A method for use in the construction of tires is provided for sensing spacing between a plurality of radial cables in a tissue is provided. The method utilizes a probe that has a first magnet, a second magnet, a magnetic bridge, and a spacing hall effect sensor. The magnets are spaced from one another in a probe first length direction, and the spacing hall effect sensor is located between the magnets in the probe first length direction. The spacing hall effect sensor is located between the magnetic bridge and the cables in a probe second height direction when the probe is positioned next to the partially constructed tire. The probe is placed next to the partially constructed tire such that the first cable direction is not parallel to the probe first length direction. The probe is then used to sense spacing between successive ones of the cables.

In one aspect, an angle sensor includes magnetic-field sensing elements that include a first pair, a second pair, a third pair and a fourth pair of magnetic-field sensing elements; and processing circuitry configured to determine an angle of a rotating ring magnetic having a plurality of North-South pole pairs each having a unique period length. The processing circuitry includes a first bridge formed from the first and second pairs of magnetic-field sensing elements and a second bridge formed from the third and fourth pairs of magnetic-field sensing elements. The angle includes a value from 0° to 360°. The first, second, third and fourth pairs of magnetic-field sensing elements are each disposed on a first axis. The first, second, third and fourth pairs of magnetic-field sensing elements each have a sensitivity in a first direction along the first axis. The angle sensor is formed on a single die.

A three-axis Hall magnetometer includes magnetic beam deflection structures located on a first plane and a plurality of vertical Hall assemblies located on a second plane without any planar Hall assembly. Each magnetic beam deflection structure is in an elongated shape and has a length-width ratio greater than 2. The magnetic beam deflection structure includes a first-type magnetic beam deflection structure, which extends in a first direction on the first plane. The sensing direction of each vertical Hall assembly is parallel to the first plane. The vertical Hall assemblies include first-type vertical Hall assemblies and second-type vertical Hall assemblies located near one long side of the first-type magnetic beam deflection structure. The plurality of vertical Hall assemblies further include third-type vertical Hall assemblies which have a sensing direction different from those of the first-type vertical Hall assemblies and the second-type vertical Hall assemblies.

A magnetic field sensor can be are based upon three element vertical Hall element building blocks, e.g., three element or six element vertical Hall element arrangements, all arranged in a circle. In some embodiments, the circle of vertical Hall elements can be arranged as a CVH sensing element.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to an on-chip current sensor. The on-chip current sensor includes: a vertical Hall sensor; and a current carrying conductor in a first wiring layer above the vertical Hall sensor.