Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a magnetic field sensor includes a magnetoresistance (MR) element. In some embodiments, the MR element includes a reference layer, a free layer, and a barrier layer. In some embodiments the free layer includes two or more cobalt iron boron (CoFeB) layers, wherein a first one of the CoFeB layers is in contact with the barrier layer, and two or more spacer layers. In some embodiments, the CoFeB layers and the spacer layers alternate to form a multilayered free layer structure. In some embodiments, the magnetic field sensor comprises an angle sensor or a current sensor. In some embodiments, the contact between the first one of the CoFeB layers and the barrier layer is configured to reduce hysteresis in the MR element. In some embodiments, the alternating CoFeB layers and spacer layers are configured to increase output amplitude of the MR element.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package having more than one semiconductor die includes a spark gap to provide a current path designed to protect the device. The spark gap can be provided between an exposed portion of a corner lead and an exposed portion of a tie bar and/or between exposed portions of adjacent leads. The spark gap distance is designed to achieve required ratings for a given application. Stacked and side-by-side die configurations are described.

Abstract: A sensor integrated circuit includes a sensing circuit configured to generate the sensor output signal and a fault circuit to detect a fault and generate a fault signal indicative of the fault. A combined signal indicative of the fault signal when a fault is detected and indicative of a reference voltage associated with the sensor IC at other times is provided at a shared connection of the sensor IC. Embodiments include a current sensor IC and fault detectors configured to detect one or more faults.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) package and assembly includes a stacked arrangement of one or more IC die to leverage additional functionality in a standard package width. Active IC die and high voltage IC capacitors may be stacked in various arrangements to minimize the footprint and width of the IC package. The die are interconnected with each other and a lead frame with wire bonds, silicon vias or other interconnections. Various bond pad configurations are used to interconnect the die. The stacked arrangement of the IC die reduces the width of the supporting lead frame and reduces the overall footprint of the IC package.

Abstract: According to aspects of the disclosure, a method is provided for use in a sensor, the method comprising: detecting that a frequency of a first signal is in a first range, the first signal being generated, at least in part, by one or more first magnetic field sensing elements, the first signal being generated in response to a magnetic field that is associated with a rotating target, the rotating target including a plurality of pole pairs; identifying a first resolution that corresponds to the first range and causing the first resolution to become a current resolution of the sensor; and transmitting a data stream in accordance with the current resolution of the sensor, wherein transmitting the data stream includes: (i) transmitting a plurality of speed pulses that encode a speed of the rotating target, and (ii) transmitting a plurality of data pulse sets.

Abstract: Magnetic sensing device integrated in a magnetic switch device that makes or breaks contact in the presence of an external magnetic field, comprising: a first transistor biased at a first terminal by a first bias voltage and a first magnetoresistive element having a first resistance variable with the external magnetic field. At a reference field strength, the first resistance has a first reference resistance value, and the first bias voltage is adjustable to control a first current at the second terminal of the first transistor at a first reference current value. When the external magnetic field is varied around the reference field strength, the first variable resistance varies around the first reference resistance value by a resistance delta, such that the first current modulates around the first reference current value by a current delta. A magnetic switch device comprising the magnetic sensing device is also disclosed.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the disclosure, a sensor for detecting speed of a target includes: one or more of magnetic field sensing elements operable to generate one or more magnetic field signals indicative of a magnetic field associated with the target having a speed; detection circuitry configured to detect one or more parameters of the target using the magnetic field signals or representations thereof; and an output circuit configured to generate a sensor output signal conveying information about the one or more parameters of the target at a fixed time interval independent of the target speed.

Abstract: A device, comprising: a magnetic field sensor including: (i) one or more first magnetic field sensing elements arranged to produce a first magnetic field signal in response to a magnetic field, (ii) a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) that is configured to amplify the first magnetic field signal to produce an amplified signal, and (iii) a first circuitry that is configured to generate an output signal based on the amplified signal; and a compensation circuit including: (i) one or more second magnetic field sensing elements that are arranged to produce a second magnetic field signal in response to the magnetic field, and (ii) a second circuitry that is configured to adjust a gain of the PGA based on the second magnetic field signal, thereby causing a gain of the PGA to be increased or decreased based on the magnetic field at one or more second magnetic field sensing elements.

Abstract: A two-dimensional analog angular magnetic sensor device for measuring an orientation of an external magnetic field, comprising at least a magnetic sensor, comprising a plurality of tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) elements arranged in a full-bridge configuration and configured to provide a sine output voltage: VSIN=A·sin ?·Vdd, or configured to provide a cosine output voltage VCOS=A·cos ?·Vdd, wherein A is parameter depending on the TMR ratio of the TMR element and Vdd is a bias voltage inputted to the magnetic sensor. The magnetic sensor device further comprises an analog circuit configured to generates a circuit output voltage and electrically connected to the magnetic sensor such as that the magnetic sensor device generates a device output voltage that follows one of: a tangent output voltage VTAN:Vout=K·Vdd·VTAN=K·Vdd·tan ?, where K is a constant; or a cotangent output voltage (VCOTAN): V out = K · V dd · V COTAN = K · V dd · cotan ? ? .

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a transformer based integrated circuit (IC) package includes a portion including a recess. In some embodiments, a magnetic core disposed in the recess, wherein the recess is configured to provide a space between an interior surface of the recess and an exterior surface of the magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core includes a soft ferromagnetic material. In some embodiments, two or more support structures disposed in the recess and connected to the magnetic core and package portion. In some embodiments, a plurality of conductive traces forming first and second coils disposed about the magnetic core, wherein the first and second coils and magnetic core are configured as a transformer. In some embodiments, a molding material is configured to encapsulate a surface of the package portion and the transformer, wherein the molding material is configured to form a package body.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes magnetoresistance elements supported by a surface of the die defining a plane, and a concentrator layer over the surface of the die and having an aperture. A first magnetoresistance element is adjacent to a first edge of the aperture and has a first reference direction parallel to the surface of the die and substantially perpendicular to the first aperture edge and a second magnetoresistance element is adjacent to a second edge of the aperture and has the first reference direction. The concentrator layer redirects the applied magnetic field to present a differential field parallel to the plane of the die to the magnetoresistance elements in response to applied field perpendicular to the plane of the die and to present a reduced magnitude and common mode field to the magnetoresistance elements in response to the applied field parallel to the plane of the die.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for trimming IC components. In an embodiment, a circuit includes a digital controller, a first programmable read only memory coupled to the controller, and a trimmable block having at least one trimmable component. A second programmable read only memory is coupled to the trimmable block, where the second programmable read only memory is independent of the first programmable read only memory.

Abstract: In one aspect, manufacturing a magnetic-field angle sensor includes heating, to a first temperature, a substrate, which includes heating a first magnetoresistance (MR) element including a first type of antiferromagnetic material having a first Néel temperature and a first magnetization direction and heating a second MR element including a second type of antiferromagnetic material having a second Néel temperature and a second magnetization direction. The manufacturing also includes, after heating the substrate to the first temperature, applying a first magnetic field to the substrate in an x-direction to enable a first magnetization direction and a second magnetization direction to be in the x-direction, enabling a temperature of the substrate to be a second temperature and applying a second magnetic field to the substrate in a y-direction to enable the second magnetization direction to be in the y-direction while the first magnetization direction remains in the x-direction.

Abstract: A sensor, comprising: a magnetic field sensing module that is configured to generate a plurality of signals, each signal indicating a magnetic flux density of a different component of a magnetic field that is produced by a magnetic field source; a processing circuitry that is configured to: receive the plurality of signals from the magnetic field sensing module; evaluate a neural network based on the plurality of signals to obtain a plurality of probabilities, each of the plurality of probabilities indicating a likelihood of the magnetic field source being positioned in a different one of a plurality of positional domains; generate an output signal based on the plurality of probabilities, the output signal encoding an identifier of a current positional domain of the magnetic field source.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element has a tunnel barrier layer included between a ferromagnetic reference layer having a fixed reference magnetization and a ferromagnetic sense layer having a free sense magnetization. The sense magnetization has a ferromagnetic material composition and a stable vortex configuration in the absence of an applied magnetic field. The ferromagnetic material composition varies across the thickness of the sense layer from a composition with higher magnetization near the tunnel barrier layer to a composition with lower magnetization away from the tunnel barrier layer, such that the sense magnetization and ferromagnetic exchange strength of the sense layer are higher near the tunnel barrier layer than away from the tunnel barrier layer.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method includes depositing magnetoresistance (MR) layers of a MR element on a semiconductor structure; depositing a first hard mask on the MR layers; depositing and patterning a first photoresist on the first hard mask using photolithography to expose portions of the first hard mask; etching the exposed portions of the first hard mask; etching a portion of the MR layers using the first hard mask; depositing a second hard mask on a first capping layer; depositing and patterning a second photoresist on the second hard mask using photolithography to expose portions of the second hard mask; etching the exposed portions of the second hard mask; etching the MR element using the second hard mask; etching portions of the first hard mask down to a top MR layer of the MR element; and depositing a conducting material on the top MR layer to form an electroconductive contact.

Abstract: A power source connection monitor in redundant power systems determines if valid connections are present to a positive and/or negative terminal of each of the power sources. A current detection integrated circuit serves as an internal tie between redundant control units creating an internal power source bus for each connection between the redundant external connections to each power source. The current detection integrated circuit monitors the current in the internal power source bus interconnections to determine its presence and direction. The current detection integrated circuit signals the control units of failing or failed connections to one or more of the power sources.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method includes manufacturing a magnetic-field angle sensor on a wafer. The manufacturing includes forming a cosine bridge that includes forming a first magnetoresistance (MR) element. The manufacturing also includes forming a sine bridge that includes forming a second MR element. Forming the first MR element includes using a process to reduce orthogonality errors between the sine bridge and the cosine bridge caused by anisotropy present in magnetic material in the first MR element.

Abstract: A system, comprising: a printed circuit board; a first conductor having a first central longitudinal axis, the first conductor having a first through-hole that is formed therein; a second conductor having a second central longitudinal axis; and a first current sensor that is mounted on the printed circuit board, the first current sensor being disposed at least partially inside the first through-hole, the first current sensor including a first pair of magnetic field sensing elements, the magnetic field sensing elements in the first pair being aligned with a first alignment axis that is arranged at a first angle relative to the second central longitudinal axis, the first angle being less than 75 degrees.

Abstract: A system, comprising a target, a first receiving coil array, and a second receiving coil array. The target includes: (i) a first array of conductive features that are arranged in a line or arc and separated from one another by voids, and (ii) a second array of conductive features that are arranged in a line or arc and separated from one another by voids, the conductive features in the first array being staggered with respect to the conductive features in the second array. The first receiving coil array is configured to sense a first magnetic field that is associated with the first array of conductive features. The second receiving coil array is configured to sense a second magnetic field that is associated with the second array of conductive features.