Inspection apparatus and method for inspecting magnetic sensor
AssigneeTDK Corporation
InventorsKazuya Watanabe, Hiraku Hirabayashi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inspection apparatus includes a stage having a placing surface, a first magnetic field generator, and a second magnetic field generator. The first magnetic field generator is configured to be changeable in orientation and to singly generate a first magnetic field. The second magnetic field generator is configured to be changeable in orientation and to singly generate a second magnetic field. The first and second magnetic field generators are configured to cooperatively generate a composite magnetic field in cooperation.
Claims14
An inspection apparatus configured to apply a magnetic field to a magnetic sensor to inspect an output of the magnetic sensor,
- the inspection apparatus comprising:
- a stage having a placing surface for the magnetic sensor to be placed on;
- and
- a first magnetic field generator and a second magnetic field generator each disposed at a predetermined distance from the placing surface in a direction perpendicular to the placing surface, wherein
- the first magnetic field generator is configured to be changeable in orientation and to singly generate a first magnetic field that is a magnetic field to be applied to the magnetic sensor and that is in a first direction oblique to the direction perpendicular to the placing surface, and configured to be rotatable in a direction about an axis of the first magnetic field generator oblique to the direction perpendicular to the placing surface,
- the second magnetic field generator is configured to be changeable in orientation and to singly generate a second magnetic field that is a magnetic field to be applied to the magnetic sensor and that is in a second direction oblique to the direction perpendicular to the placing surface, and configured to be rotatable in a direction about an axis of the second magnetic field generator oblique to the direction perpendicular to the placing surface, and
- the first and second magnetic field generators are configured to cooperatively generate a composite magnetic field that is a magnetic field to be applied to the magnetic sensor and contains a component in a direction parallel to an imaginary plane perpendicular to the placing surface.
A method for inspecting a magnetic sensor comprising:
- placing the magnetic sensor on a placing surface of a stage;
- disposing a first magnetic field generator at a predetermined distance from the placing surface in a direction perpendicular to the placing surface, the first magnetic field generator being configured to be changeable in orientation and to singly generate a first magnetic field that is a magnetic field to be applied to the magnetic sensor and that is in a first direction oblique to the direction perpendicular to the placing surface, the first magnetic field generator being further configured to be rotatable in a direction about an axis of the first magnetic field generator oblique to the direction perpendicular to the placing surface;
- disposing a second magnetic field generator at a predetermined distance from the placing surface in the direction perpendicular to the placing surface, the second magnetic field generator being configured to be changeable in orientation and to singly generate a second magnetic field that is a magnetic field to be applied to the magnetic sensor and that is in a second direction oblique to the direction perpendicular to the placing surface, the second magnetic field generator being further configured to be rotatable in a direction about an axis of the second magnetic field generator oblique to the direction perpendicular to the placing surface;
- operating the first and second magnetic field generators in a cooperative manner to generate a composite magnetic field that is a magnetic field to be applied to the magnetic sensor and contains a component in the direction perpendicular to the placing surface;
- and
- inspecting an output of the magnetic sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.