Magnetic sensor
US9530957B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 13, 2012 |
| Grant date | Dec 27, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 22, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R33/093
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A magnetic sensor includes magnetoresistive elements and a soft magnetic body. The magnetoresistive elements have multi layers including a magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic layer on a substrate, and exert a magnetoresistance effect. The soft magnetic body is electrically disconnected with the magnetoresistive elements, and converts a vertical magnetic field component from the outside into a magnetic field component in a horizontal direction so as to provide the magnetoresistive elements with the horizontally converted magnetic field component. The magnetoresistive elements have a pinned magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction and a free magnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction. The free magnetic layer is stacked on the pinned magnetic layer with a nonmagnetic layer interposed between the free magnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer. The magnetization directions of the pinned magnetic layers of the magnetoresistive elements are the same direction. The magnetoresistive elements form a bridge circuit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.