Abstract: A magnetoresistive layer system, in an environment of a magnetoresistive layer stack that works particularly on the basis of the GMR effect or the AMR effect, a layer array being provided which generates a magnetic field which acts upon the magnetoresistive layer stack, and the layer array having at least one hard magnetic layer and at least one soft magnetic layer. Furthermore, a sensor element, particularly for the detection of magnetic fields with respect to their strength and/or direction, having such a layer system.

Abstract: A GMR sensor element is proposed, having a rotationally symmetrical positioning of especially eight GMR resistor elements which are connected to each other to form two Wheatstone's full bridges. This GMR sensor element is especially suitable for use in an angle sensor for the detection of the absolute position of the camshaft or the crankshaft in a motor vehicle, particularly in the case of a camshaft-free engine having electrical or electrohydraulic valve timing, of a motor position of an electrically commutated motor, or of detection of a windshield wiper position, or in the steering angle sensor system in motor vehicles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a GMR structure in which a metallic multiple layer is applied onto a carrier and in which the metallic multiple layer is patterned to produce the GMR structure, the carrier having a structure before the metallic multiple layer is applied and the patterning of the metallic multiple layer is performed by CMP. The present invention also relates to a GMR structure having a carrier and a patterned metallic multiple layer positioned on the carrier, the patterned metallic multiple layer being situated in one or more depressions of the carrier. In addition, the present invention relates to a use of GMR structures.

Abstract: A device for angle measurement, having at least one transducer wheel and at least one sensor, including at least one sensor element and cooperating with the transducer wheel, in which by means of the cooperation of the transducer wheel and the sensor, a pair, which can be associated with an angle to be measured, comprising one sine-wave signal and one cosine-wave signal can be obtained, in which at least two sensors are provided, whose sine-wave signals and cosine-wave signals, for obtaining an averaged sine-wave signal and averaged cosine-wave signal, and/or after the formation of an arc tangent signal from the respective averaged or unaveraged sine-wave signals or cosine-wave signals, can be put computationally into relation with one another by means of an evaluation device in order to obtain an averaged arc tangent signal.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor element is provided, having a magnetoresistive layer system which, in top view, is at least regionally striated. The sensor element operates on the basis of the GMR effect and is constructed according to the spin valve principle, the striated layer system featuring a reference layer having a direction of magnetization substantially uninfluenced by a direction of an outer magnetic field acting on it. During operation, the sensor element provides a measuring signal which changes as a function of a measurement angle between the component of the field strength of the outer magnetic field lying in the plane of the layer system, and the direction of magnetization, and from which this measurement angle is able to be ascertained.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor element is provided, having a magnetoresistive layer system which, in top view, is at least regionally striated. The sensor element operates on the basis of the GMR effect and is constructed according to the spin valve principle, the striated layer system featuring a reference layer having a direction of magnetization substantially uninfluenced by a direction of an outer magnetic field acting on it. During operation, the sensor element provides a measuring signal which changes as a function of a measurement angle between the component of the field strength of the outer magnetic field lying in the plane of the layer system, and the direction of magnetization, and from which this measurement angle is able to be ascertained.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive layer system including a layer sequence including at least two magnetic layers, a non-magnetic, electrically conductive intermediate layer being arranged between them; the electrical resistance of the layer system being changeable as a function of an external magnetic field acting on the layer system. At least one magnetically hard layer is integrated in the layer system, at least in certain areas, applying a magnetic field at least in the area of a boundary surface between the magnetic layers and the intermediate layer. The magnetoresistive layer system is suitable in particular for use in a GMR sensor element including coupled multilayers or in an AMR sensor element having a barberpole structure. In addition, the system includes a gradiometer including a plurality of such layer systems.

Abstract: A position transmitter includes at least one magnetoresistive sensor and an associated magnetic multipole wheel having a large number of uniformly arranged pole pairs (2). The at least one sensor comprises first, second third, and fourth magnetoresistive resistors that are electrically connected as a Wheatstone bridge with four half bridges, with a voltage UO being fed in one bridge diagonal and a sinusoidal or cosinusoidal signal being produced on the other diagonal. A distance (d) between the first and second or third and fourth resistors located paral el to one another is selected with reference to a scanning direction of the multipole wheel, such that it is not equal the wavelength of a pole pair. A distance between the first and second resistors and between the third and fourth resistors is the same.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive layer system, in which a layer arrangement is provided in an environment of a magneto-resistive layer stack working on the basis of the GMR effect or the AMR effect, in particular the layer arrangement generating a resulting magnetic field that acts upon the magneto-resistive layer stack. The layer arrangement has a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer, which are separated from one another by a non-magnetic intermediate layer and are ferromagnetically exchange-coupled via the intermediate layer. Furthermore, a sensor element having such a layer system is provided, particularly for the detection of magnetic fields with respect to their strength and/or direction.

Abstract: A GMR sensor element is proposed, having a rotationally symmetrical positioning of especially eight GMR resistor elements which are connected to each other to form two Wheatstone's full bridges. This GMR sensor element is especially suitable for use in an angle sensor for the detection of the absolute position of the camshaft or the crankshaft in a motor vehicle, particularly in the case of a camshaft-free engine having electrical or electrohydraulic valve timing, of a motor position of an electrically commutated motor, or of detection of a windshield wiper position, or in the steering angle sensor system in motor vehicles.

Abstract: A method of adjusting or locally modifying the direction of magnetization of a ferromagnetic layer in a magnetoresistive layer system using a heat stamp is described, the ferromagnetic layer being stabilized over an antiferromagnetic layer. The antiferromagnetic layer is heated, using a heat stamp, over a threshold temperature, above which the influence of this layer on the direction of magnetization of the adjacent ferromagnetic layer disappears; subsequently, the ferromagnetic layer is exposed to an external magnetic field of a predefined direction, and finally the antiferromagnetic layer is cooled again below the threshold temperature. In addition, a heat stamp having a base body and a heatable stamp structure connected to the base body and matching the dimensions of or similar to the magnetoresistive layer system is described.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive layer system, in an environment of a magnetoresistive layer stack that works particularly on the basis of the GMR effect or the AMR effect, a layer array being provided which generates a magnetic field which acts upon the magnetoresistive layer stack, and the layer array having at least one hard magnetic layer and at least one soft magnetic layer. Furthermore, a sensor element, particularly for the detection of magnetic fields with respect to their strength and/or direction, having such a layer system.

Abstract: A device for measuring an angle and/or the torque acting on a rotatable body is proposed according to the invention, whereby the rotational angle is detected by means of magnetic or optical sensors. In particular, in a preferred exemplary embodiment, two devices (7, 8) are proposed, each of which comprises two optically readable code tracks. The two code tracks (1a, 1b or 2a, 2b) on one device (7 or 8) are similar in design and are offset in relation to each other, so that associated sensors (4) output a digital signal. The rotational angle is calculated based on the lag between the two digital signals. In a further embodiment it is provided that a torsion element (5) having a known torsional stiffness is situated between the two devices (7, 8). Torque transferred by the rotatable body (3) can also be calculated therefore from the angular difference of the two devices 7, 8. The device is used preferably in the steering axle of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A sensor element is described having a substrate and a first magnetoresistive layered assemblage having at least locally a first strip having a first strip width, and a second magnetoresistive layered assemblage having at least locally a second strip having a second strip width different from the first strip width. A gradiometer assemblage is described having at least two gradiometer bridges which have magnetoresistive, at least locally strip-shaped, layered assemblages of this kind, the strips in the individual gradiometer bridges being of different widths. This sensor element or gradiometer assemblage is suitable in particular for measuring magnetic field gradients over at least five orders of magnitude at magnetic field strengths from 1 ?T to 30 mT, in particular from 1 ?T to 10 mT.

Abstract: A device for detecting the rotational speed and/or the position of a rotating component, having at least one magnetic sensor element, which is securely connected to the rotating component, and a magnetic field sensor, which coacts with the sensor element and is designed to detect change in a magnetic field and is connected to an analyzing circuit. The magnetic field sensor includes at least one sensor element made of a sensor material exhibiting a CMR (colossal magneto resistance) effect.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a GMR structure in which a metallic multiple layer (12) is applied onto a carrier (10, 12, 30, 34) and in which the metallic multiple layer (14) is patterned to produce the GMR structure, the carrier (10, 12, 30, 34) having a structure before the metallic multiple layer is applied and the patterning of the metallic multiple layer is performed by CMP. The present invention also relates to a GMR structure having a carrier (10, 12, 30, 34) and a patterned metallic multiple layer positioned on the carrier (10, 12, 30, 34), the patterned metallic multiple layer (14) being situated in one or more depressions (50) of the carrier (10, 12, 30, 34). In addition, the present invention relates to a use of GMR structures.

Abstract: A magnet sensor system includes at least one magnetic-field-sensitive sensor layer in an integrated multilayer system whose electrical resistance is modifiable as a function of an external magnetic field. At least one soft-magnetic detection layer and at least one hard-magnetic layer are provided for generating an auxiliary magnetic field, and at least one non-magnetic intermediate layer is positioned there, across which the at least one soft-magnetic detection layer is exchange-coupled to the at least one hard-magnetic layer.

Abstract: A method of adjusting or locally modifying the direction of magnetization of a ferromagnetic layer in a magnetoresistive layer system using a heat stamp is described, the ferromagnetic layer being stabilized over an antiferromagnetic layer. The antiferromagnetic layer is heated, using a heat stamp, over a threshold temperature, above which the influence of this layer on the direction of magnetization of the adjacent ferromagnetic layer disappears; subsequently, the ferromagnetic layer is exposed to an external magnetic field of a predefined direction, and finally the antiferromagnetic layer is cooled again below the threshold temperature. In addition, a heat stamp having a base body and a heatable stamp structure connected to the base body and matching the dimensions of or similar to the magnetoresistive layer system is described.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive layer system (5) having a layer sequence (16) comprising at least two magnetic layers (12, 12′), a non-magnetic, electrically conductive intermediate layer (13) being situated between them is described; the electrical resistance of the layer system (5) being changeable as a function of an external magnetic field acting on the layer system (5). At least one magnetically hard layer (15) is integrated in the layer system (5), at least in certain areas, applying a magnetic field at least in the area of a boundary surface between the magnetic layers (12, 12′) and the intermediate layer. The magnetoresistive layer system (5) is suitable in particular for use in a GMR sensor element having coupled multilayers or in an AMR sensor element having a barberpole structure. In addition, a gradiometer (30) having a plurality of such layer systems (5) is described.

Abstract: According to the invention, a magnetoresistive sensor for scanning a magnetic multipole wheel is proposed, which scans many uniformly disposed magnetic pole pairs. The sensor has four magnetoresistive resistors, which are connected electrically as a Wheatstone bridge with two half-bridges and which output a sine-wave and cosine-wave signal, respectively. To suppress the third and/or fifth harmonic of the scanning signal, it is proposed that the spacing between the two half-bridges be selected such that it is not equal to half the wavelength (lambda). For the third harmonic, the spacing d=lambda/3 is preferably selected, so that the half-bridges are offset by a phase angle of 120°. To suppress the fifth semiharmonic, three identical sensors with a suitable spacing are connected together. The measured signals are averaged, so that the result is a field course with the third and fifth harmonics filtered out.