Abstract: A sensor structure includes sensing elements, a flux guide, and a flux guide reset mechanism. The flux guide is configured to guide magnetic flux in a plane for detection by the sensing elements. The flux guide reset mechanism is configured to set the flux guide to a predetermined magnetic orientation. The flux guide reset mechanism includes at least a first coil and a second coil. The first coil is configured to generate a first magnetic field. The first coil includes first coil segments. The second coil is configured to generate a second magnetic field. The second coil includes second coil segments. The flux guide is disposed between the first coil and the second coil. The first coil segments and the second coil segments are configured such that a first magnetic field profile of the first magnetic field is coherent with a second magnetic field profile of the second magnetic field with respect to at least at a region of the flux guide that overlaps the sensing elements.

Abstract: A sensor structure includes sensing elements, a flux guide, and a flux guide reset mechanism. The flux guide is configured to guide magnetic flux in a plane for detection by the sensing elements. The flux guide reset mechanism is configured to set the flux guide to a predetermined magnetic orientation. The flux guide reset mechanism includes at least a first coil and a second coil. The first coil is configured to generate a first magnetic field. The first coil includes first coil segments. The second coil is configured to generate a second magnetic field. The second coil includes second coil segments. The flux guide is disposed between the first coil and the second coil. The first coil segments and the second coil segments are configured such that a first magnetic field profile of the first magnetic field is coherent with a second magnetic field profile of the second magnetic field with respect to at least at a region of the flux guide that overlaps the sensing elements.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor structure and a method for fabricating the magnetic field sensor structure are disclosed. The magnetic field sensor structure includes at least a magnetoresistive sensor assembly and a transistor assembly, which integrated on a single chip. The transistor assembly includes at least a semiconductor device and a first interconnect. The first interconnect is operably connected to the semiconductor device. The method includes depositing a dielectric layer on the transistor assembly. The method includes removing portions of the dielectric layer to form a first trench that exposes the first interconnect. The method includes performing a damascene process to form an ultra-thick metal (UTM) layer within the first trench to create a first metal coil. The first metal coil is configured as a first reset component. The method includes depositing another dielectric layer on the first metal coil. The method includes forming a flux guide within the another dielectric layer.

Abstract: An out-of-plane tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) magnetic field sensor includes a sense element that defines a sense plane and a flux guide configured to direct a magnetic field perpendicular to the sense plane into the sense plane. The magnetic field sensor further includes a first coil arranged in a first plane, a second coil electrically insulated from the first coil and arranged in a spaced-apart second plane, and drive circuitry operatively connected to the first coil and the second coil. The drive circuitry in a first mode energizes the first and second coils to generate respective first and second fields that combine to set a magnetization of the flux guide. The drive circuitry in a second mode energizes only the first coil to generate the first field so as to set a magnetization of the sense element without changing the magnetization of the flux guide.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor array includes a plurality of sensor segments, each including a plurality of magnetic field sensors. A magnetizing current conductor is situated so as to run in the area of the magnetic field sensors in such a way that elements of the magnetic field sensors may be magnetized. A plurality of parallel-connected half-bridges, each including a high switch pJ and a low switch nJ, each include a center tap connection situated between the switches. The magnetizing current conductor is connected to each center tap connection, by means of which the magnetizing current conductor is divided into separately activatable magnetizing segments. Elements of a sensor segment are magnetized in that two switches nJ and pJ+1 having different electrical potentials, or alternatively pJ and nJ+1, of two directly adjacent half-bridges are closed simultaneously. At least one further switch nX<J or pY>J+1 or alternatively pX<j or nY>J+1 is closed.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: An out-of-plane tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) magnetic field sensor includes a sense element that defines a sense plane and a flux guide configured to direct a magnetic field perpendicular to the sense plane into the sense plane. The magnetic field sensor further includes a first coil arranged in a first plane, a second coil electrically insulated from the first coil and arranged in a spaced-apart second plane, and drive circuitry operatively connected to the first coil and the second coil. The drive circuitry in a first mode energizes the first and second coils to generate respective first and second fields that combine to set a magnetization of the flux guide. The drive circuitry in a second mode energizes only the first coil to generate the first field so as to set a magnetization of the sense element without changing the magnetization of the flux guide.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnetoresistive (MR) magnetic field sensor system includes a MR magnetic field sensor bridge. The MF magnetic field sensor bridge includes a sense leg with a sense element with a first layer with a first fixed magnetization orientation and, a second layer with a first free magnetization orientation, the first free magnetization orientation orthogonal to the first fixed magnetization orientation at a zero applied magnetic field. A reference leg of the MF magnetic field sensor bridge is electronically connected in parallel to the sense leg. The reference leg includes at least one reference element with a third layer with a second fixed magnetization orientation parallel to, and in the same direction as, the first fixed magnetization orientation, and a fourth layer with a second free magnetization orientation, the second free magnetization orientation parallel to the first fixed magnetization orientation at the zero applied magnetic field.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor including a first plurality and a second plurality of magnetoresistive sensors, wherein each magnetoresistive sensor of the first plurality and the second plurality of magnetoresistive sensors comprises: an electrode; a reference layer adjacent to the electrode, wherein the reference layer includes a synthetic antiferromagnetic structure; a magnetic sense element; and an intermediate layer between the reference layer and the magnetic sense element; and one or more conductors configured to electrically couple the magnetoresistive sensors of the first plurality and the second plurality in various configurations.

Abstract: A magnitude and direction of at least one of a reset current and a second stabilization current (that produces a reset field and a second stabilization field, respectively) is determined that, when applied to an array of magnetic sense elements, minimizes the total required stabilization field and reset field during the operation of the magnetic sensor and the measurement of the external field. Therefore, the low field sensor operates optimally (with the highest sensitivity and the lowest power consumption) around the fixed external field operating point. The fixed external field is created by other components in the sensor device housing (such as speaker magnets) which have a high but static field with respect to the low (earth's) magnetic field that describes orientation information.

Abstract: A sensor and fabrication process are provided for forming reference layers with substantially orthogonal magnetization directions having zero offset with a small compensation angle. An exemplary embodiment includes a sensor layer stack of a magnetoresistive thin-film based magnetic field sensor, the sensor layer stack comprising a pinning layer; a pinned layer including a layer of amorphous material over the pinning layer, and a first layer of crystalline material over the layer of amorphous material; a nonmagnetic coupling layer over the pinned layer; a fixed layer over the nonmagnetic coupling layer; a tunnel barrier over the fixed layer; and a sense layer over the nonmagnetic intermediate layer. Another embodiment includes a sensor layer stack where a pinned layer including two crystalline layers separated by a amorphous layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A probe card and method are provided for testing magnetic sensors at the wafer level. The probe card has one or more probe tips having a first pair of solenoid coils in parallel configuration on first opposed sides of each probe tip to supply a magnetic field in a first (X) direction, a second pair of solenoid coils in parallel configuration on second opposed sides of each probe tip to supply a magnetic field in a second (Y) direction orthogonal to the first direction, and an optional third solenoid coil enclosing or inscribing the first and second pair to supply a magnetic field in a third direction (Z) orthogonal to both the first and second directions. The first pair, second pair, and third coil are each symmetrical with a point on the probe tip array, the point being aligned with and positioned close to a magnetic sensor during test.

Abstract: A method and apparatus eliminate magnetic domain walls in a flux guide by applying, either simultaneously or sequentially, a current pulse along serially positioned reset lines to create a magnetic field along the flux guide, thereby removing the magnetic domain walls. By applying the current pulses in parallel and stepping through pairs of shorter reset lines segments via switches, less voltage is required.

Abstract: Three bridge circuits (101, 111, 121), each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge (100) to sense a magnetic field (160) in three orthogonal directions (110, 120, 130) that are set with a single pinning material deposition and bulk wafer setting procedure. One of the three bridge circuits (121) includes a first magnetoresistive sensor (141) comprising a first sensing element (122) disposed on a pinned layer (126), the first sensing element (122) having first and second edges and first and second sides, and a first flux guide (132) disposed non-parallel to the first side of the substrate and having an end that is proximate to the first edge and on the first side of the first sensing element (122). An optional second flux guide (136) may be disposed non-parallel to the first side of the substrate and having an end that is proximate to the second edge and the second side of the first sensing element (122).