Method for manufacturing a giant resistive ratio (GMR) bridge detector and a magnetoresistive bridge detector

US6339329B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Christian Neumann · Hungen, DE
• Klaus Marx · Stuttgart, DE
• Franz Jost · Stuttgart, DE
• Martin Freitag · Munich, DE
• Dietmar Senghaas · Heilbronn, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 29, 1999
• Grant date: Jan 15, 2002
• Expiry date: Apr 29, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T29/49034
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a GMR bridge detector as well as the bridge detector itself in which magnetoresistive resistors are interconnected in the form of a bridge to detect a magnetic field. The resistors consist of a material that exhibits the giant magnetoresistive ratio (GMR) effect. The magnetoresistive sensitivity of the individual resistors is produced through annealing. The annealing of the resistors takes place through selective feeding of a current that is sufficient for reaching the temperature required for annealing into the bridge connections. Depending on the wiring of the bridge connections, the resistors are provided with the property necessary for the GMR effect either singly or in pairs. As the material for the resistors, in particular, a material of the class of discontinuous multilayer materials, particularly NiFe/Ag, is used in which the GMR property is produced through single annealing at a specific temperature.