Micromachined semiconductor magnetic sensor

US6275034A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Analog Devices, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Chau C. Tran · Malden, US
• John A. Geen · Tewksbury, US
• A. Paul Brokaw · Burlington, US
• Geoffrey Haigh · Boxford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 10, 1999
• Grant date: Aug 14, 2001
• Expiry date: Mar 10, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R33/028
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A semiconductor magnetic field sensor including a substrate; a semiconductor moveable element suspended above the substrate, the moveable element being configured to have a current passed therethrough and to deflect perpendicularly with respect to an applied magnetic field; and at least one fixed semiconductor element arranged adjacent to the moveable element, the moveable element being deflected to or away from the fixed element in response to an applied magnetic field. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, there is provided a semiconductor magnetic field sensor including a substrate; first and second semiconductor moveable beams suspended above the surface of the substrate, the first and second beams being configured to have equal and opposite currents passed therethrough and to deflect perpendicularly with respect to an applied magnetic field; and at least one first and second fixed semiconductor elements arranged adjacent to the first and second beams, respectively, the first and second beams being deflected to or away from the respective first and second fixed elements in response to an applied magnetic field.