Magnetic sensor and production method therefor
AssigneeMurata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
InventorZHENHONG ZHANG
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic sensor including a pair of permanent magnets disposed at a distance from each other so that different poles are opposed to each other, and a magnetoresistive array disposed between the pair of permanent magnets. The magnetoresistive array has four magnetoresistive elements disposed so that maximum detection directions of the adjacent elements are different from one another, and the four magnetoresistive elements are connected in a bridge circuit. The pair of permanent magnets and the magnetoresistive array are disposed so that a direction substantially orthogonal to a magnetic field detection direction and a magnetic field direction between the pair of permanent magnets are neither parallel nor perpendicular to each other.
Claims19
A magnetic sensor comprising:
- a pair of permanent magnets disposed at a distance from each other and oriented so that different poles are opposed to each other;
- and
- a magnetoresistive array disposed between said pair of permanent magnets, wherein
- said magnetoresistive array has four magnetoresistive elements disposed so that maximum detection directions of adjacent elements of said four magnetoresistive elements are different from one another, and
- said pair of permanent magnets and said magnetoresistive array are disposed so that a direction substantially orthogonal to a magnetic field detection direction and a magnetic field direction between said pair of permanent magnets are neither parallel nor perpendicular to each other.
A production method for a magnetic sensor, the production method comprising:
- disposing a pair of permanent magnets at a distance from each other so that different poles are opposed to each other;
- disposing a magnetoresistive array between said pair of permanent magnets, the magnetoresistive array having four magnetoresistive elements disposed so that maximum detection directions of adjacent elements are different from one another, and said four magnetoresistive elements connected in a bridge circuit;
- and
- adjusting respective resistance values of said four magnetoresistive elements so that with regards to a magnetic field directed from a first direction to a second direction opposite to said first direction, a differential voltage between opposed connecting points in said bridge circuit exhibits a positive value, and with regards to a magnetic field directed from said second direction to said first direction, said differential voltage exhibits a negative value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.