Sensor chip with magnetoresistive wheatstone bridges for determining magnetic field directions

US6011390A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Institut fur Mikrostrukturtechnologie und Optoelektronik E.V. · DE

Inventors

• Uwe Loreit · Wetzlar, DE
• Fritz Dettman · Wetzlar, DE
• Wulf Andra · Wetzlar, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 11, 1997
• Grant date: Jan 4, 2000
• Expiry date: Dec 11, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R33/09
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An arrangement for a magnetoresistive sensor chip has two Wheatstone brid to determine the sine and cosine of the angle formed between a chip edge and the direction of the magnetic field. All resistances of the bridges consist of a plurality of magnetoresistive laminated elements (2) with current connections made of highly conductive thin films with parallel edges. When the resistances of a bridge are directly electrically interconnected, these edges form angles (5) of 90.degree. each. The parallel edges of the corresponding resistances of the sine and cosine bridges are mutually offset by 45.degree.. The magnetoresistive laminated elements (2) are distributed on the chip surface to reduce angle measurement errors to a minimum. Also disclosed are arrangements that allow the sensor chips to be used for measuring angles and positions.