Abstract: In described examples, an integrated circuit (IC) includes a magnetic concentrator, a vertical Hall sensor, and a trace. The vertical Hall sensor is configured to detect a magnetic field oriented in a first dimension parallel to a substrate surface, and is located near the magnetic concentrator. The trace has first and second legs each oriented in a second dimension that is perpendicular to the first dimension and parallel to the substrate surface. The first leg is connected to the second leg in series between first and second ends of the trace. The first leg is located near the magnetic concentrator and so that a line perpendicular to and intersecting the substrate surface and the magnetic concentrator intersects the first leg. The second leg is located near the vertical Hall sensor.

Abstract: A described example includes: a heat slug coupled to a package substrate, the heat slug configured to conduct a current between terminals of the package substrate; a first magnetic shield mounted to a top surface of the package substrate, the first magnetic shield including a die mount area; a semiconductor die flip chip mounted to the die mount area; a second magnetic shield mounted to the package substrate, the second magnetic shield having a cantilever portion extending over a portion of the semiconductor die including a Hall element; electrical connections of wire bonds or ribbon bonds between bond pads of the semiconductor die and leads on the package substrate; and mold compound covering the electrical connections, the semiconductor die, the first magnetic shield, and the second magnetic shield, while a portion of the heat slug is exposed forming a thermal pad for a semiconductor device package.

Abstract: In described examples, an integrated circuit (IC) written on a substrate that includes a substrate surface includes a magnetic concentrator, a Hall sensor, a primary coil, and a secondary coil. The Hall sensor at least partially overlaps the magnetic concentrator. The primary coil at least partially overlaps the magnetic concentrator. The secondary coil at least partially overlaps the magnetic concentrator and the primary coil, and surrounds the Hall sensor.

Abstract: In described examples, an integrated circuit (IC) includes a magnetic concentrator, a vertical Hall sensor, and a trace. The vertical Hall sensor is configured to detect a magnetic field oriented in a first dimension parallel to a substrate surface, and is located near the magnetic concentrator. The trace has first and second legs each oriented in a second dimension that is perpendicular to the first dimension and parallel to the substrate surface. The first leg is connected to the second leg in series between first and second ends of the trace. The first leg is located near the magnetic concentrator and so that a line perpendicular to and intersecting the substrate surface and the magnetic concentrator intersects the first leg. The second leg is located near the vertical Hall sensor.

Abstract: In an example, a Hall sensor can include an IC die formed on a lead frame that is configured to conduct a current, the IC die being configured to sense a magnetic field resulting from the current. The Hall sensor can include at least one magnetic permeability material film formed on the IC die. The Hall sensor can include at least one permalloy material layer formed on the respective at least one magnetic permeability material film, the at least one magnetic permeability material film and the at least one permalloy material layer combining to provide a magnetic concentrator providing concentration of the magnetic field.

Abstract: A described example includes: a heat slug coupled to a package substrate, the heat slug configured to conduct a current between terminals of the package substrate; a first magnetic shield mounted to a top surface of the package substrate, the first magnetic shield including a die mount area; a semiconductor die flip chip mounted to the die mount area; a second magnetic shield mounted to the package substrate, the second magnetic shield having a cantilever portion extending over a portion of the semiconductor die including a Hall element; electrical connections of wire bonds or ribbon bonds between bond pads of the semiconductor die and leads on the package substrate; and mold compound covering the electrical connections, the semiconductor die, the first magnetic shield, and the second magnetic shield, while a portion of the heat slug is exposed forming a thermal pad for a semiconductor device package.

Abstract: A described example includes: a heat slug coupled to a package substrate, the heat slug configured to conduct a current between terminals of the package substrate; a first magnetic shield mounted to a top surface of the package substrate, the first magnetic shield including a die mount area; a semiconductor die flip chip mounted to the die mount area; a second magnetic shield mounted to the package substrate, the second magnetic shield having a cantilever portion extending over a portion of the semiconductor die including a Hall element; electrical connections of wire bonds or ribbon bonds between bond pads of the semiconductor die and leads on the package substrate; and mold compound covering the electrical connections, the semiconductor die, the first magnetic shield, and the second magnetic shield, while a portion of the heat slug is exposed forming a thermal pad for a semiconductor device package.

Abstract: In a described example, a position sensor can include a first magnetic field sensor unit having a first sensor output, a second magnet field sensor unit having a second sensor output, one or more coils having one or more footprints overlapping the first and second magnetic field sensor units, and a processing circuit having a first sensor input, a second sensor input, a current terminal, and a sensing output, the first sensor input coupled to the first sensor output, the second sensor input coupled to the second sensor output, and the current terminal coupled to the one or more coils.

Abstract: Apparatus, and their methods of manufacture, including an integrated circuit device having metallization layers for interconnecting underlying electronic devices. Contacts contact conductors of an uppermost one of the metallization layers. A planarized first dielectric layer covers the contacts and the uppermost one of the metallization layers. An anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) stack is on the first dielectric layer between vertically aligned portions of an etch stop layer formed on the first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer formed on the etch stop layer. Vias extend through the first dielectric layer to electrically connect the AMR stack and the contacts. A chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) stop layer is on the AMR stack. A third dielectric layer is on the CMP stop layer. A passivation layer contacts the second dielectric layer portions, the third dielectric layer, and each opposing end of the AMR stack and the CMP stop layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to magnetic field sensors with magnetic flux concentrators, and more particularly, to Hall sensors (which may be vertical or in-plane field Hall sensors) with magnetic flux concentrators. In an example, a sensor device includes a semiconductor die, a first magnetic flux concentrator, and a second magnetic flux concentrator. The semiconductor die includes a semiconductor substrate and an interconnect structure. The semiconductor substrate includes a Hall sensor in a semiconductor material. The interconnect structure is over the semiconductor substrate. The first magnetic flux concentrator is over the semiconductor die. The second magnetic flux concentrator is over the semiconductor die. At least part of the Hall sensor is laterally between the first magnetic flux concentrator and the second magnetic flux concentrator.

Abstract: In one example, a device comprises a lead frame, a semiconductor die, a spacer, and a magnetic concentrator. The lead frame comprises a conductor. The spacer is between the semiconductor die and the conductor. The magnetic concentrator overlaps at least partially with the conductor.

Abstract: Apparatus, and their methods of manufacture, including an integrated circuit device having metallization layers for interconnecting underlying electronic devices. Contacts contact conductors of an uppermost one of the metallization layers. A planarized first dielectric layer covers the contacts and the uppermost one of the metallization layers. An anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) stack is on the first dielectric layer between vertically aligned portions of an etch stop layer formed on the first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer formed on the etch stop layer. Vias extend through the first dielectric layer to electrically connect the AMR stack and the contacts. A chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) stop layer is on the AMR stack. A third dielectric layer is on the CMP stop layer. A passivation layer contacts the second dielectric layer portions, the third dielectric layer, and each opposing end of the AMR stack and the CMP stop layer.

Abstract: A wafer probe test system having a probe card with a probe head, a rotary magnet, a magnetic sensor positioned to sense the magnetic field of the rotary magnet and a controller coupled to the probe card, where the probe head has probe needles to engage features of test sites of a wafer in a wafer plane of orthogonal first and second directions, and the rotary magnet is rotatable around an axis of a third direction to provide a magnetic field to the wafer, in which the controller includes a model of magnetic flux density in the first, second and third directions at the respective test sites of the wafer as a function of a rotational angle of the rotary magnet, a probe needle height along the third direction and a measured magnetic flux density of the magnetic sensor.

Abstract: In one example, circuitry is formed in a semiconductor die. A magnetic concentrator is formed on a surface of the semiconductor die and over the circuitry. An isolation spacer is placed on a lead frame. The semiconductor die is placed on the isolation spacer, and the magnetic concentrator is aligned to overlap the lead frame. Electrical interconnects are formed between the semiconductor die and the lead frame.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a metal heat slug, a semiconductor die, and a package structure. The metal heat slug has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the second portion is spaced apart from the first portion, and the third portion connects the first and second portions. The semiconductor die is attached to the third portion of the metal heat slug to measure a current of the third portion of the metal heat slug, and the package structure encloses the semiconductor die and the third portion of the metal heat slug and exposes sides of the first and second portions of the metal heat slug.

Abstract: A wafer probe test system having a probe card with a probe head, a rotary magnet, a magnetic sensor positioned to sense the magnetic field of the rotary magnet and a controller coupled to the probe card, where the probe head has probe needles to engage features of test sites of a wafer in a wafer plane of orthogonal first and second directions, and the rotary magnet is rotatable around an axis of a third direction to provide a magnetic field to the wafer, in which the controller includes a model of magnetic flux density in the first, second and third directions at the respective test sites of the wafer as a function of a rotational angle of the rotary magnet, a probe needle height along the third direction and a measured magnetic flux density of the magnetic sensor.

Abstract: A current-sensing system includes a conductor for carrying a first electrical current generating a first magnetic field. A device, spaced from the conductor by a clearance, includes a semiconductor integrated circuit die in a package. The semiconductor integrated circuit die includes at least one elongated bar of a first ferromagnetic material magnetized by the first magnetic field; a sensor comprising a first coil wrapped around the at least one elongated bar to sense the bar's magnetization; and an electronic driver creating a second electrical current flowing through a second coil wrapped around the at least one elongated bar generating a second magnetic field to compensate the at least one bar's magnetization. The package has a first outer surface free of device terminals. A discrete plate of a second ferromagnetic material is positioned in the clearance and is conformal with the first outer surface of the package.

Abstract: In a described example, a circuit includes a sensor circuit including multiple magnetic field sensors having respective sensor outputs. The magnetic field sensors are configured to provide magnetic field sensor signals at the respective sensor outputs representative of a measure of current flow through a conductive structure. A combiner interface has combiner inputs and a combiner output. The combiner inputs are coupled to the respective sensor outputs. The combiner interface is configured to provide an aggregate sensor measurement at the combiner output responsive to the magnetic field sensor signals, in which the aggregate sensor measurement is decoupled from magnetic fields generated responsive to the current flow through the conductive structure.

Abstract: A described example includes: a semiconductor die including a Hall sensor arranged in a first plane that is parallel to a device side surface of the semiconductor die; a passivated magnetic concentrator including a magnetic alloy layer formed over the device side surface of the semiconductor die, the upper surface of the magnetic alloy layer covered by a layer of polymer material; a backside surface of the semiconductor die opposite the device side surface mounted to a die side surface of a die pad on a package substrate, the semiconductor die having bond pads on the device side surface spaced from the magnetic concentrator; electrical connections coupling the bond pads of the semiconductor die to leads of the package substrate; and mold compound covering the magnetic concentrator, the semiconductor die, the electrical connections, a portion of the leads, and the die side surface of the die pad.

Abstract: A current-sensing system includes a conductor for carrying a first electrical current generating a first magnetic field. A device, spaced from the conductor by a clearance, includes a semiconductor integrated circuit die in a package. The semiconductor integrated circuit die includes at least one elongated bar of a first ferromagnetic material magnetized by the first magnetic field; a sensor comprising a first coil wrapped around the at least one elongated bar to sense the bar's magnetization; and an electronic driver creating a second electrical current flowing through a second coil wrapped around the at least one elongated bar generating a second magnetic field to compensate the at least one bar's magnetization. The package has a first outer surface free of device terminals. A discrete plate of a second ferromagnetic material is positioned in the clearance and is conformal with the first outer surface of the package.