Abstract: A magnetoresistance element has a pinning arrangement with two antiferromagnetic pinning layers, two pinned layers, and a free layer. A spacer layer between one of the two antiferromagnetic pinning layers and the free layer has a material selected to allow a controllable partial pinning by the one of the two antiferromagnetic pinning layers.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance element has a double pinned arrangement with two antiferromagnetic pinning layers, two pinned layers, and a free layer. A spacer layer between one of the two antiferromagnetic pinning layers and the free layer has a material selected to allow a controllable partial pinning by the one of the two antiferromagnetic pinning layers.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated sensor, including terminals (1, 2) for connection to an electric generator, said terminals being connected to a metal measuring line (4, 5) in which a current proportional to the voltage or current of the generator to be measured flows, and magnetoresistors (31, 32, 33, 34). The metal measuring line includes elongate and parallel sections (4, 5) in which the current flows in opposite directions, said sections being connected to a portion (3) for closing the metal measuring line (3, 4, 5), which is arranged on a galvanic isolation layer (8) that is in turn arranged on an integrated circuit portion including the magnetoresistors (31, 32, 33, 34), each of which have a sensitive portion that is vertically adjacent to one of the elongate sections (4, 5). The sensor can be integrated into a diagnostic system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated sensor, including terminals (1, 2) for connection to an electric generator, said terminals being connected to a metal measuring line (4, 5) in which a current proportional to the voltage or current of the generator to be measured flows, and magnetoresistors (31, 32, 33, 34). The metal measuring line includes elongate and parallel sections (4, 5) in which the current flows in opposite directions, said sections being connected to a portion (3) for closing the metal measuring line (3, 4, 5), which is arranged on a galvanic isolation layer (8) that is in turn arranged on an integrated circuit portion including the magnetoresistors (31, 32, 33, 34), each of which have a sensitive portion that is vertically adjacent to one of the elongate sections (4, 5). The sensor can be integrated into a diagnostic system.

Abstract: The method for cancellation of low frequency noise in a magneto-resistive mixed sensor (1) comprising at least a superconducting loop with at least one constriction and at least one magneto-resistive element (6) comprises a set of measuring steps with at least one measuring step being conducted with the normal running of the mixed sensor and at least another measuring step being conducted whilst an additional super-current is temporarily injected in the at least one constriction of the at least one superconducting loop of the mixed sensor (1) up to a critical super-current of the constriction so that the result of the at least another measuring step is used as a reference level of the at least one magneto-resistive element (6).

Abstract: A protected electrical device having at least one electrical sub-assembly (1) to be protected comprises on at least one (11) of upper and lower surfaces (11, 12), at least a screening layer (2) against the electromagnetic (EM) and radiofrequency (RF) fields emitted by the electrical sub-assembly (1). The screening layer (2) comprises at least a first layer made of soft magnetic material with a high relative permeability (µr) larger than 500. The screening layer (2) is placed on substantially the whole surface of said at least one (11) of the upper and lower surfaces (11, 12), except on predetermined regions (1a) of limited area, the electrical connections (8, 9) with external devices being located on at least some of the predetermined regions of limited area.

Abstract: A device comprises a mixed sensor design with at least one superconducting loop (1) containing at least one constriction (3) and a magneto-resistive element (2) located next to the constriction (3). The device contains at least one heating element (5) that allows switching at sufficiently high frequency of at least one part of the superconducting loop (1) above its critical temperature, such that the super-current flowing through the at least one constriction (3) containing the at least one magneto-resistive element (2) is temporarily suppressed.

Abstract: The system for measuring high currents or magnetic fields using a magnetoresistive sensor (80) includes a device for applying a known predetermined magnetic bias field Hbias in a direction such that it has a non-zero component of the field perpendicular to a detection direction of the magnetoresistive sensor (80) that also corresponds to a direction of anisotropy of a layer of the magnetoresistive sensor, a device for measuring the variation in resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor (80) and means for determining the external magnetic field H to be measured from the measured resistance variation, the resistance of the sensor being subjected to a monotonic variation function.

Abstract: A device for non destructive evaluation of defects in a metallic object (2) by eddy currents, comprises a field emitter (3) for emitting an alternating electromagnetic field at a first frequency fi in the neighborhood of the metallic object (2), and a magnetoresistive sensor (1) for detecting a response signal constituted by a return electromagnetic field which is re-emitted by eddy currents induced by the alternating electromagnetic field in the metallic object (2).

Abstract: The system for measuring a magnetic resonance signal within a sample (4) placed in a static external magnetic field (H) includes an excitation device (1 to 3, 6 to 10) for applying high-intensity radio-frequency pulses at a predetermined emission frequency fe in a measurement zone containing the sample (4). The excitation device includes an excitation coil (3) tuned to the predetermined emission frequency fe and disposed in the vicinity of the sample (4) in such a way as to produce an electromagnetic field essentially perpendicular to the static external magnetic field (H). The system further includes at least a superconductive-magnetoresistive hybrid sensor (5) including a superconductive loop having a constriction adapted to increase significantly the current density and at least a magnetoresistive sensor placed in the immediate vicinity of said constriction (72) and being separated therefrom by an insulative deposit.

Abstract: A protected electrical device having at least one electrical sub-assembly (1) to be protected comprises on at least one (11) of upper and lower surfaces (11, 12), at least a screening layer (2) against the electromagnetic (EM) and radiofrequency (RF) fields emitted by the electrical sub-assembly (1). The screening layer (2) comprises at least a first layer made of soft magnetic material with a high relative permeability (µr) larger than 500. The screening layer (2) is placed on substantially the whole surface of said at least one (11) of the upper and lower surfaces (11, 12), except on predetermined regions (1a) of limited area, the electrical connections (8, 9) with external devices being located on at least some of the predetermined regions of limited area.

Abstract: The device for measuring magnetic field by using a magnetoresistive sensor comprises at least one magnetoresistive sensor (5), a module (50) for measuring the resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor (5), a generator module (40, 6) for generating an additional magnetic field in the space containing the magnetoresistive sensor (5), and a control unit (60) firstly for selectively controlling the generator module (40, 6) to apply an additional magnetic field pulse possessing a first value with first polarity that is positive or negative and magnitude that is sufficient to saturate the magnetoresistive sensor (5), and secondly for selectively controlling measurement of the resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor (5) by the module (50) for measuring resistance.

Abstract: The method for cancellation of low frequency noise in a magneto-resistive mixed sensor (1) comprising at least a superconducting loop with at least one constriction and at least one magneto-resistive element (6) comprises a set of measuring steps with at least one measuring step being conducted with the normal running of the mixed sensor and at least another measuring step being conducted whilst an additional super-current is temporarily injected in the at least one constriction of the at least one superconducting loop of the mixed sensor (1) up to a critical super-current of the constriction so that the result of the at least another measuring step is used as a reference level of the at least one magneto-resistive element (6).

Abstract: A device comprises a mixed sensor design with at least one superconducting loop (1) containing at least one constriction (3) and a magneto-resistive element (2) located next to the constriction (3). The device contains at least one heating element (5) that allows switching at sufficiently high frequency of at least one part of the superconducting loop (1) above its critical temperature, such that the super-current flowing through the at least one constriction (3) containing the at least one magneto-resistive element (2) is temporarily suppressed.

Abstract: For protecting a circuit (1) against a mechanical or electromagnetic attack, an active protection device attached to the circuit comprises: —at least one generator (13, 14) for generating a magnetic field, —at least one magnetic sensor S1, S2, S3, S4 for measuring a value of the magnetic field, —an integrity circuit connected to the at least one magnetic sensor S1, S2, S3, S4 and to the circuit (1). The integrity circuit activates a reaction procedure in the circuit if the measured value of the magnetic field made by the magnetic sensor is out of a values domain, the values domain being correlated to the generated magnetic field.

Abstract: The system for measuring high currents or magnetic fields using a magnetoresistive sensor (80) includes a device for applying a known predetermined magnetic bias field Hbias in a direction such that it has a non-zero component of the field perpendicular to a detection direction of the magnetoresistive sensor (80) that also corresponds to a direction of anisotropy of a layer of the magnetoresistive sensor, a device for measuring the variation in resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor (80) and means for determining the external magnetic field H to be measured from the measured resistance variation, the resistance of the sensor being subjected to a monotonic variation function.

Abstract: The system for measuring a magnetic resonance signal within a sample (4) placed in a static external magnetic field (H) includes an excitation device (1 to 3, 6 to 10) for applying high-intensity radio-frequency pulses at a predetermined emission frequency fe in a measurement zone containing the sample (4). The excitation device includes an excitation coil (3) tuned to the predetermined emission frequency fe and disposed in the vicinity of the sample (4) in such a way as to produce an electromagnetic field essentially perpendicular to the static external magnetic field (H). The system further includes at least a superconductive-magnetoresistive hybrid sensor (5) including a superconductive loop having a constriction adapted to increase significantly the current density and at least a magnetoresistive sensor placed in the immediate vicinity of said constriction (72) and being separated therefrom by an insulative deposit.

Abstract: A device for non destructive evaluation of defects in a metallic object (2) by eddy currents, comprises a field emitter (3) for emitting an alternating electromagnetic field at a first frequency fi in the neighbourhood of the metallic object (2), and a magnetoresistive sensor (1) for detecting a response signal constituted by a return electromagnetic field which is re-emitted by eddy currents induced by the alternating electromagnetic field in the metallic object (2).

Abstract: The device for sensing a RF field comprises a flux-receiving loop (1) including a circumferential path having a defined path width (d), the flux-receiving loop (1) having a portion (10) that transforms the magnetic flux flowing through the flux receiving loop (1) into a high magnetic field. The portion (10) comprises a constriction of the flux-receiving loop (1) that concentrates the current lines in the circumferential path to define a current-field transformer. At least one very low noise magnetic field transducer (12) is located at a very close distance from the constriction.

Abstract: The device for measuring magnetic field by using a magnetoresistive sensor comprises at least one magnetoresistive sensor (5), a module (50) for measuring the resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor (5), a generator module (40, 6) for generating an additional magnetic field in the space containing the magnetoresistive sensor (5), and a control unit (60) firstly for selectively controlling the generator module (40, 6) to apply an additional magnetic field pulse possessing a first value with first polarity that is positive or negative and magnitude that is sufficient to saturate the magnetoresistive sensor (5), and secondly for selectively controlling measurement of the resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor (5) by the module (50) for measuring resistance.