# US 12,000,910 B2 · Sensor including protruding surface

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- Number: US 12,000,910 B2
- Document ID: US12000910B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/945,514
- Filed: 2022-09-15
- Published: 2023-03-23
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-21
- Assignees: TDK Corporation
- Applicants: TDK Corporation
- Inventors: Hiromichi Umehara; Keita Kawamori; Kenzo Makino; Masachika Hashino
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000910B2

## CPC

- G01R 33/0206: {Three-component magnetometers}
- G01R 33/093: {using multilayer structures, e.g. giant magnetoresistance sensors (thin magnetic films H01F10/00)}
- G01R 33/0047: {Housings or packaging of magnetic sensors (packaging of semiconductor devices H10W99/00); Holders}
- G01R 33/0029: {Treating the measured signals, e.g. removing offset or noise}
- G01R 33/0052: {Manufacturing aspects; Manufacturing of single devices, i.e. of semiconductor magnetic sensor chips (devices based on galvano-magnetic effect or the like H10N50/85)}
- G01R 33/0094: {Sensor arrays}
- G01R 33/096: {anisotropic magnetoresistance sensors}
- G01R 33/098: {comprising tunnel junctions, e.g. tunnel magnetoresistance sensors}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

A magnetic sensor includes an insulating layer, a first MR element, and a second MR element. The insulating layer includes a protruding surface including first and second inclined surfaces. Each of the first and second MR elements includes a magnetization pinned layer and a free layer. The magnetization pinned layer and the free layer of the first MR element are disposed on the first inclined surface. The magnetization pinned layer and the free layer of the second MR element are disposed on the second inclined surface. The dimension of the protruding surface in a direction parallel to the Z direction is in the range of 1.4 μm to 3.0 μm.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensor configured to detect a predetermined physical quantity, comprising:
a substrate including a top surface;
a support member disposed on the substrate; and
a sensor element configured to change in a physical property depending on the predetermined physical quantity, wherein
the support member includes a protruding surface protruding in a direction away from the top surface of the substrate and including at least one inclined surface,
the sensor element includes a functional layer constituting at least a part of the sensor element,
the functional layer is disposed on the at least one inclined surface, and
a dimension of the protruding surface in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate is in a range from 1.4 μm or more to 3.0 μm or less.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor according to claim 1, wherein
the protruding surface extends in a direction parallel to the top surface of the substrate, and
a dimension of the protruding surface in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the protruding surface is greater than or equal to 3 μm and less than or equal to 16 μm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sensor according to claim 1, wherein
the protruding surface includes an upper end portion farthest from the top surface of the substrate,
the protruding surface includes a first curved surface portion including the upper end portion of the protruding surface, and a second curved surface portion continuous with the first curved surface portion and located between the first curved surface portion and the top surface of the substrate in the direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate,
the first curved surface portion is a curved surface protruding in the direction away from the top surface of the substrate,
the second curved surface portion is a curved surface protruding in a direction closer to the top surface of the substrate, and
a radius of curvature of the second curved surface portion in a cross section perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate is smaller than a radius of curvature of the first curved surface portion in the cross section perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate, and is greater than or equal to 0.3 μm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sensor according to claim 3, wherein the radius of curvature of the first curved surface portion in the cross section perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate is greater than or equal to 4.25 μm and less than or equal to 5.45 μm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sensor according to claim 1, wherein
the protruding surface includes an upper end portion farthest from the top surface of the substrate, and also includes a curved surface portion including the upper end portion of the protruding surface and protruding in the direction away from the top surface of the substrate,
the curved surface portion includes a first portion including the upper end portion of the protruding surface, and a second portion continuous with the first portion at a position away from the upper end portion of the protruding surface, and
when a shape of the protruding surface in a cross section perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate is regarded as a function Z having as a variable a position on a virtual straight line that is parallel to each of the cross section and the top surface of the substrate, a mean value of an absolute value of a second derivative Z″ of the function Z corresponding to the first portion is smaller than a mean value of an absolute value of the second derivative Z″ of the function Z corresponding to the second portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The sensor according to claim 5, wherein a value of the second derivative Z″ of the function Z corresponding to the curved surface portion is less than or equal to 0.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inclined surface includes two inclined surfaces facing different directions.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The sensor according to claim 7, wherein the two inclined surfaces are symmetrical about a virtual plane perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate as a center.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sensor according to claim 1, wherein
the support member includes a first layer and a second layer formed on the first layer, and
the at least one inclined surface is formed across the first layer and the second layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The sensor according to claim 9, wherein:
the at least one inclined surface includes a first end edge closest to the top surface of the substrate, and a second end edge farthest from the top surface of the substrate,
the first end edge is located in the first layer, and
the second end edge is located in the second layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The sensor according to claim 10, wherein
the first layer includes a lower end portion closest to the top surface of the substrate, and an upper end portion farthest from the top surface of the substrate, and
the first end edge is disposed between the lower end portion of the first layer and the upper end portion of the first layer in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The sensor according to claim 11, wherein the functional layer is disposed along a surface of the second layer, but is not disposed along a surface of the first layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The sensor according to claim 10, wherein the at least one inclined surface includes no step at a position of a boundary between the first layer and the second layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The sensor according to claim 9, wherein
each of the first layer and the second layer includes a lower end portion closest to the top surface of the substrate, and an upper end portion farthest from the top surface of the substrate, and
a distance from an interface between the first layer and the second layer to the lower end portion of the first layer is shorter than a distance from the interface between the first layer and the second layer to the upper end portion of the second layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The sensor according to claim 9, wherein the at least one inclined surface is a smooth curved surface as a whole.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The sensor according to claim 9, wherein each of the first layer and the second layer is formed of an insulating material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The sensor according to claim 9, further comprising a structure embedded in the first layer, wherein
the structure includes an end surface farthest from the top surface of the substrate, and
the end surface of the structure is disposed at substantially a same position as an interface between the first layer and the second layer in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The sensor according to claim 1, wherein
the predetermined physical quantity is at least one of a direction or a strength of a target magnetic field, and
the sensor element is a magnetic detection element configured to detect a change in at least one of the direction or the strength of the target magnetic field.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The sensor according to claim 18, wherein
the magnetic detection element is a magnetoresistive element, and
the functional layer includes a plurality of magnetic films.