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US 10,162,016 B2Granted
Reduction of magnetic sensor component variation due to magnetic materials through the application of magnetic field
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsAnn Margaret Gabrys, Dok Won Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microelectronic device, possibly a packaged microelectronic device, contains a magnetic sensor component and magnetizable structural features. Magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features are aligned parallel to each other. The microelectronic device is formed by applying a magnetic field so as to align magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features with the applied magnetic field. Application of the magnetic field is subsequently discontinued. The magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features remain aligned parallel to each other after the applied magnetic field is discontinued.
Claims15
A method, comprising:
- applying a magnetic field greater than a stray magnetic field to magnetizable structural features of a microelectronic device that is part of a substrate wafer with other microelectronic devices, wherein the magnetizable structural features are separate from a magnetic sensor component of the microelectronic device, for a predetermined duration to align magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features parallel to the magnetic field, wherein the magnetizable structural features comprise bond pads and wherein the magnetic sensor component includes a fluxgate magnetometer core;
- and
- discontinuing application of the magnetic field after the predetermined duration.
A method, comprising:
- applying a magnetic field greater than a stray magnetic field to magnetizable structural features of a microelectronic device that is part of a substrate wafer with other microelectronic devices, wherein the magnetizable structural features are separate from a magnetic sensor component of the microelectronic device, for a predetermined duration to align magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features parallel to the magnetic field, wherein the magnetizable structural features comprise bond pads and wherein the magnetic sensor component includes a Hall plate;
- and
- discontinuing application of the magnetic field after the predetermined duration.
A method, comprising:
- applying a magnetic field greater than a stray magnetic field to magnetizable structural features of a microelectronic device, wherein the magnetizable structural features are separate from a magnetic sensor component of the microelectronic device, for a predetermined duration to align magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features parallel to the magnetic field;
- discontinuing application of the magnetic field after the predetermined duration;
- applying a test magnetic field to a second microelectronic device comprising a magnetic sensor component and magnetizable structural features;
- subsequently measuring a value of a parameter of the magnetic sensor component of the second microelectronic device;
- and
- using the measured value of the parameter to estimate a desired orientation for the magnetic field applied to the second microelectronic device, prior to applying the magnetic field to the microelectronic device.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- applying a magnetic field greater than a stray magnetic field to magnetizable structural features of a microelectronic device, wherein the magnetizable structural features are separate from a magnetic sensor component of the microelectronic device, for a predetermined duration to align magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features parallel to the magnetic field;
- discontinuing application of the magnetic field after the predetermined duration;
- reading values of magnetic properties of the microelectronic device from a computer-readable memory;
- estimating a value of a parameter of the magnetic sensor component as a function of a test orientation of the magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features, using the values of the magnetic properties;
- and
- estimating a desired orientation for the magnetic field applied to the microelectronic device, using the estimated value of the parameter, prior to applying the magnetic field to the microelectronic device.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- applying a magnetic field greater than a stray magnetic field to magnetizable structural features disposed in a package housing an active circuit and a fluxgate magnetometer core, for a predetermined duration to align magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features parallel to the magnetic field for a selected zero-field offset of the fluxgate magnetometer core;
- and
- discontinuing application of the magnetic field after the predetermined duration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.