Patent · US Expired

Magnetic field sensor using magnetoresistance and method for making same

US7094480B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
8References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 27, 2001
Grant dateAug 22, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 11, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/1157
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention relates to magnetic field sensors in which magnetoresistance is used as the physical phenomenon for detecting and measuring the magnetic field. It consists in producing a stack comprising a first ferromagnetic layer (101), an insulating layer (103), a second ferromagnetic layer (102) and an antiferromagnetic layer (104). The two ferromagnetic layers exhibit crossed magnetic anisotropies and form with the insulating layer a tunnel junction. The anisotropy of the first layer is obtained from the shape energy of the substrate on which this first layer rests and which is slightly misoriented with respect thereto. The anisotropy of the second layer is obtained by the action of the antiferromagnetic layer.

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