US 2007/0182407 A1Published application

Magnetic sensor and method of producing the same

AssigneeYamaha Corporation

InventorsHideki Sato, Toshiyuki Oohashi, Yukio Wakui, Susumu Yoshida, Kokichi Aiso

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Abstract

On a single chip are formed a plurality of magnetoresistance effect elements provided with pinned layers having fixed magnetization axes in the directions that cross each other. On a substrate 10 are formed magnetic layers that will become two magnetic tunnel effect elements 11, 21 as magnetoresistance effect elements. Magnetic-field-applying magnetic layers made of NiCo are formed to sandwich the magnetic layers in plan view. A magnetic field is applied to the magnetic-field-applying magnetic layers. The magnetic field is removed after the magnetic-field-applying magnetic layers are magnetized in the direction shown by arrow A. As a result of this, by the residual magnetization of the magnetic-field-applying magnetic layers, magnetic fields in the directions shown by arrows B are applied to the magnetic layers that will become magnetic tunnel effect elements 11, 21, whereby the magnetization of the pinned layers of the magnetic layers that will become magnetic tunnel effect elements 11, 21 is pinned in the directions shown by arrows B.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A magnetic sensor which detects a magnetic field comprising;

a magnetoresistance effect element comprising a spin valve film, the film comprising a free layer, a spacer layer and a pinned layer whose magnetization direction is pinned, wherein said layers are successively laminated on a substrate of a single chip, the substrate having a generally square shape which has two sides along an X-axis and two sides along a Y-axis, the X-axis and the Y-axis being perpendicular to each other in a plan view, said magnetoresistance effect element having a resistance value that changes in accordance with a relative angle formed by the magnetization direction of the pinned layer and a magnetization direction of the free layer;
said magnetic sensor being formed in such a manner that a plurality of said magnetoresistance effect elements are provided on a single plane, said magnetoresistance effect elements are placed symmetrically with respect to center lines of the generally square shape, one of the center lines is a center line of the two sides along the X-axis and perpendicular to the Y-axis and the other of the center lines is a center line of the two sides along the Y-axis and perpendicular to the X-axis, and the pinned layers of at least two of said plurality of magnetoresistance effect elements have the pinned magnetization directions that cross each other;
wherein four of said plurality of magnetoresistance effect elements comprise a single axis magnetic sensor by full bridge connection of the four elements, the single axis magnetic sensor being an X-axis magnetic sensor for detecting a magnetic field along the X-axis or a Y-axis magnetic sensor for detecting a magnetic field along the Y-axis, said pinned magnetization directions of the pinned layers of the four elements being parallel to each other.

A magnetic sensor which detects a magnetic field comprising

eight magnetoresistance effect elements including a first through an eighth element, each of said elements comprising a spin valve film, the film comprising a free layer, a spacer layer and a pinned layer, said pinned layer having a pinned magnetization direction, wherein said layers are successively laminated on a substrate of a single chip, the substrate having a generally square shape which has a left side along a Y-axis, a right side along the Y-axis, a top side along an X-axis and a bottom side along the X-axis in a plan view, the X-axis and the Y-axis are perpendicular to each other, and each of the elements has a resistance value that changes in accordance with a relative angle formed by a magnetization direction of said pinned layer and a magnetization direction of said free layer;
said magnetic sensor being formed in such a manner that said magnetoresistance effect elements are provided on a single plane,
(a) said first element being formed at a position closer to the left side than the other sides and below a first center line of the top side and the bottom side, the first center line being perpendicular to the Y-axis, and said first element, having a pinned magnetization direction of said first element's pinned layer in a direction of the X-axis;
(b) said second element being formed at a position closer to the left side than the other sides and above the first center line, and said second element having a pinned magnetization direction of said second element's pinned layer in the direction of the X-axis;
(c) said third element being formed at a position closer to the right side than the other sides and above the first center line, and said third element having a pinned magnetization direction of said third element's pinned layer in the direction of the X-axis;
(d) said fourth element being formed at a position closer to the right side than the other sides and below the first center line, and said fourth element having a pinned magnetization direction of said fourth element's pinned layer in the direction of the X-axis;
(e) said fifth element being formed at a position closer to the top side than the other sides and left of a second center line of the left side and the right side, the second center line being perpendicular to the X-axis, and said fifth element having a pinned magnetization direction of said fifth element's pinned layer in the direction of the Y-axis;
(f) said sixth element being formed at a position closer to the top side than the other sides and right of the second center line, and said sixth element having a pinned magnetization direction of said sixth element's pinned layer in the direction of the Y-axis;
(g) said seventh element being formed at a position closed to the bottom side than the other sides and right of the second center line, and said seventh element having a pinned magnetization direction of said seventh element's pinned layer in the direction of the Y-axis;
(h) said eighth element being formed at a position closer to the bottom side than the other sides and left of the second center line, and said eighth element having a pinned magnetization direction of said eighth element's pinned layer in the direction of the Y-axis;
(i) said first to fourth elements construct an X-axis magnetic sensor for detecting a magnetic field in the direction of the X-axis by full bridge connection of the first to fourth elements;
and
(j) said fifth to eighth elements construct a Y-axis magnetic sensor for detecting a magnetic field in the direction of the Y-axis by full bridge connection of the fifth to eighth elements.

10 more elements

A magnetic sensor which detects a magnetic field comprising

eight magnetoresistance effect elements including a first through an eighth element, each of said elements comprising a spin valve film, the film comprising a free layer, a spacer layer and a pinned layer, said pinned layer having a pinned magnetization direction, wherein said layers are successively laminated on a substrate of a single chip, the substrate having a generally square shape which has a left side along a Y-axis, a right side along the Y-axis, a top side along an X-axis and a bottom side along the X-axis in a plan view, the X-axis and the Y-axis are perpendicular to each other, and each of the elements has a resistance value that changes in accordance with a relative angle formed by a magnetization direction of said pinned layer and a magnetization direction of said free layer;
said magnetic sensor being formed in such a manner that said magnetoresistance effect elements are provided on a single plane,
(a) said first element being formed at a position closer to the left side than the other sides and below a first center line of the top side and the bottom side, the first center line being perpendicular to the Y-axis, and said first element, having a pinned magnetization direction of said first element's pinned layer in a direction of the X-axis;
(b) said second element being formed at a position closer to the left side than the other sides and above the first center line, and said second element having a pinned magnetization direction of said second element's pinned layer in the direction of the X-axis;
(c) said third element being formed at a position closer to the right side than the other sides and above the first center line, and said third element having a pinned magnetization direction of said third element's pinned layer in the direction of the X-axis;
(d) said fourth element being formed at a position closer to the right side than the other sides and below the first center line, and said fourth element having a pinned magnetization direction of said fourth element's pinned layer in the direction of the X-axis;
(e) said fifth element being formed at a position closer to the top side than the other sides and left of a second center line of the left side and the right side, the second center line being perpendicular to the X-axis, and said fifth element having a pinned magnetization direction of said fifth element's pinned layer in the direction of the Y-axis;
(f) said sixth element being formed at a position closer to the top side than the other sides and right of the second center line, and said sixth element having a pinned magnetization direction of said sixth element's pinned layer in the direction of the Y-axis;
(g) said seventh element being formed at a position closed to the bottom side than the other sides and right of the second center line, and said seventh element having a pinned magnetization direction of said seventh element's pinned layer in the direction of the Y-axis;
(h) said eighth element being formed at a position closer to the bottom side than the other sides and left of the second center line, and said eighth element having a pinned magnetization direction of said eighth element's pinned layer in the direction of the Y-axis;
(i) said first to fourth elements construct an X-axis magnetic sensor for detecting a magnetic field in the direction of the X-axis by full bridge connection of the first to fourth elements;
(j) said fifth to eighth elements construct a Y-axis magnetic sensor for detecting a magnetic field in the direction of the Y-axis by full bridge connection of the fifth to eighth elements;
(k) the pinned magnetization direction of the pinned layer of the first and the second elements are in a negative direction of the X-axis;
(l) the pinned magnetization direction of the pinned layer of the third and the fourth elements are in a positive direction of the X-axis;
(m) the pinned magnetization direction of the pinned layer of the fifth and the sixth elements are in a positive direction of the Y-axis;
and
(n) the pinned magnetization direction of the pinned layer of the seventh and the eighth elements are in a negative direction of the Y-axis.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/682,841Filed 6 Mar 2007
Priority: JP 2001-28170317 Sep 2001
Published: 9 Aug 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G01R 33/09
Using galvano-magnetic devices: magnetoresistive devices
B82Y 25/00
Nanomagnetism
B82Y 40/00
Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
G01R 33/093
Magnetoresistive devices: using multilayer structures, e.g. giant magnetoresistance sensors

Family

Application10/052,525Division · filed 23 Jan 2002
Application10/821,913Continuation · filed 12 Apr 2004
Application10/821,913Division · filed 12 Apr 2004
Application11/682,841Continuation · filed 6 Mar 2007
US 2002/0142490 A1Published application
US 2004/0189295 A1Published application
US 6,904,669 B2Related patent
US 7,589,528 B2Related patent
US 2007/0182407 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.