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 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.