Patent · US Expired

Magneto-resistive magnetic field sensor with a constricted region

US5936402A · kind A · utility

44Cited by
4References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 11, 1997
Grant dateAug 10, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 11, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R33/09
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Two magnetic layers are mutually interconnected by a constricted region also made of a magnetic material. The layers may be separated by an intermediate non-metallic layer having a hole filed with magnetic material to from the constricted region. Alternatively, the layers and constricted region may be substantially co-planar. The constricted region minimum cross-section dimension preferably is less than one micron, and ideally of the order of 100 nm, thus being much smaller than the diameter of a magnetic domain. A high magneto-resistance ratio is obtained, and electrical and magnetic properties of the sensor can be adjusted largely independently.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.