Magnetoresistive sensor having hard biased current perpendicular to the plane sensor
US6353318B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 10, 2000 |
| Grant date | Mar 5, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 10, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B2005/3996
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The apparatus of the present invention is embodied in a magnetic field sensor having a magnetoresistive element, a magnetic bias layer for biasing the magnetoresistive element with a magnetic field, and an electrical insulator positioned between the magnetic bias layer and the magnetoresistive element. The insulator prevents the flow of electrical current between the magnetoresistive element and the magnetic bias layer and at least a portion of the insulator allows passage of the magnetic field from the magnetic bias layer to the magnetoresistive element such that the magnetoresistive element is biased. The method of the present invention is embodied in a method for fabricating a magnetic field sensor having the steps of forming a magnetoresistive element, forming a lower insulator with a main section and an end section over at least a portion of the magnetoresistive element, forming a magnetic bias layer over the main section of the lower insulator, and forming an upper insulator over the magnetic bias layer and over the end section of the lower insulator, such that the magnetic bias layer is electrically insulated from the magnetoresistive element.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.