Three bridge circuits (101, 111, 121), each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge (100) to sense a magnetic field (160) in three orthogonal directions (110, 120, 130) that are set with a single pinning material deposition and bulk wafer setting procedure. One of the three bridge circuits (121) includes a first magnetoresistive sensor (141) comprising a first sensing element (122) disposed on a pinned layer (126), the first sensing element (122) having first and second edges and first and second sides, and a first flux guide (132) disposed non-parallel to the first side of the substrate and having an end that is proximate to the first edge and on the first side of the first sensing element (122). An optional second flux guide (136) may be disposed non-parallel to the first side of the substrate and having an end that is proximate to the second edge and the second side of the first sensing element (122).

An object of the present invention is to reduce leakage magnetic flux in a magnetic sensor provided with a sensor substrate and an external magnetic member. A magnetic sensor includes: a sensor substrate having an element forming surface on which magnetic sensing elements are formed, first and second side surfaces, and a back surface; a first external magnetic member provided between the first and second magnetic sensing elements; and a second external magnetic member having first and second parts and covering the first side surface and second side surface, respectively. The first and second parts of the second external magnetic member protrude from the element forming surface. According to the present invention, since the first and second parts of the second external magnetic member protrude from the element forming surface, leakage of magnetic flux between the first and second external magnetic members is reduced.

According to an embodiment, a magnetic field sensor includes: one or more magnetic field sensing elements; and a magnet structure to provide a bias magnetic field about the one or more magnetic field sensing elements, the magnet structure includes alternating magnetic layers and non-magnetic layers with at least three magnetic layers.

A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element is provided. The MTJ element includes a reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer disposed over the reference layer, a free layer disposed over the tunnel barrier layer, and a diffusion barrier layer disposed over the free layer. The MU element in accordance with the present disclosure exhibits a low resistance desired for a low-power write operation, and a high TIM coefficient desired for a low bit-error-rate (BER) read operation.

A magnetic sensor chip includes a substrate including a first main surface, and a magnetoresistive element having a magnetosensitive direction parallel or substantially parallel to the first main surface. The magnetoresistive element includes a reference layer, an intermediate layer, and a free layer stacked in a stacking direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first main surface. A direction of magnetic anisotropy of the free layer where no external magnetic field acts on the magnetic sensor chip is parallel or substantially parallel to the stacking direction and perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the magnetosensitive direction. When a stress acts on the substrate predominantly in a first direction parallel or substantially parallel to the first main surface, a direction of stress-induced magnetic anisotropy in the free layer is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the magnetosensitive direction and the stacking direction.

A magnetic sensor device for detecting linear movement of a moving body includes a magnetic field generation unit and a magnetic field detection unit, which is provided to be capable of detecting the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generation unit. The magnetic field detection unit is provided to be relatively moveable along a first axis accompanying linear movement of the moving body. The first axis is parallel to the direction of movement of the moving body. The magnetic field generation unit includes a first magnetic field generation unit and a second magnetic field generation unit. The first magnetic field generation unit and the second magnetic field generation unit are arranged substantially parallel to the first axis. A first line segment parallel to a first magnetization direction of the first magnetic field generation unit is inclined with respect to a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. A second line segment parallel to a second magnetization direction of the second magnetic field generation unit is inclined with respect to the second axis. The first line segment and the second line segment are positioned symmetrically with respect to the second axis and intersect each other to open toward the first axis.

In one aspect, a method includes forming a coil in a coil layer, performing planarization on the coil layer, and depositing a magnetoresistance (MR) element on the planarized coil layer. No dielectric material is between the planarized coil layer and the MR element. In another aspect, a magnetic field sensor includes a substrate, a planarized coil layer comprising a coil on the substrate, a magnetoresistance (MR) element in contact with the planarized coil layer, and a capping layer deposited over the MR element and the planarized coil layer. No dielectric material is between the planarized coil layer and the MR element.

A sensor apparatus comprises an electrically conductive chip carrier comprising a busbar, a first connection and a second connection, and a differential magnetic field sensor chip which is arranged on the chip carrier and has two sensor elements. The form of the busbar is such that a measurement current path running from the first connection to the second connection through the busbar comprises a main current path and a bypass current path, wherein the main current path and the bypass current path run parallel to one another, and a bypass current flowing through the bypass current path is less than a main current flowing through the main current path. The magnetic field sensor chip is configured to capture a magnetic field induced by the bypass current.

Apparatuses, systems, and associated methods of manufacturing are described that provide for improved sensor devices. An example sensor device includes a magnet mounting tube and a magnet supported within the magnet mounting tube. The sensor device includes a sensor mounting tube that receives at least a portion of the magnet mounting tube and supported magnet therein. The sensor device includes a magnetic sensor affixed to the sensor mounting tube. The sensor device includes a spring positioned around the magnet mounting tube and the sensor mounting tube such that the magnet and the magnetic sensor are surrounded by the spring. In an instance in which a load is applied to either a first end or second end of the spring, the magnet mounting tube translates relative the sensor mounting tube so as to induce a change in magnetic flux identified by the magnetic sensor indicative of a weight of the load.

A magnetic field sensor may include a plurality of MTJ elements. Each MTJ element of has a state indicated by a magnetic moment direction of a sensing layer relative to a pinned, reference layer in an absence of an external magnetic field. The plurality of MTJ elements are arranged into two identical sets of at least two MTJ elements, where each MTJ element in each respective set has a different state. The states of the MTJ elements are arranged in a manner to measure the external magnetic field regardless of the direction of the external magnetic field. The MTJ elements include identical layers, and are electrically serially connected.