Magnetoresistive sensor
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsSimon MENDISCH, Wolfgang RABERG, Bernhard ENDRES
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A magnetoresistive sensor includes a layer stack containing at least one reference layer having a reference magnetization perpendicular to the plane of the layer stack and at least one free layer having a vortex magnetization. The magnetoresistive sensor furthermore includes at least one soft-magnetic shield arranged adjacent to the layer stack and configured to reduce an influence of an external magnetic field along a shielding axis on the free layer.
Claims16
A magnetoresistive sensor (500), comprising
- a layer stack (510) containing:
- at least one reference layer (512) having a reference magnetization perpendicular to the plane of the layer stack;
- and
- at least one free layer (516) having a vortex magnetization;
- and
- at least one soft-magnetic shield (520) arranged adjacent to the layer stack and configured to reduce an influence of an external magnetic field along a shielding axis (530) on the free layer.
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in either of the preceding claims, wherein the shield (520) is arranged laterally adjacent to the layer stack (510).
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the shield (520) is arranged above or below the layer stack (510).
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein an extent of the shield (520) perpendicular to the shielding axis (530) is greater than it is parallel to the shielding axis.
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein a material of the shield (520) comprises a nickel-iron alloy, a cobalt-iron alloy, a cobalt-nickel alloy, or an iron-silicon alloy.
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein a saturation magnetization of a material of the shield (520) is in a range of 1-1.5 Tesla.
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one shield (520) is cuboidal.
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the shield (520) has a first soft-magnetic bar and a second soft-magnetic bar that intersect at right angles.
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the shield (520) has a plurality of soft-magnetic bars arranged in parallel, wherein the bars each have a longitudinal axis running perpendicular or parallel to the shielding axis (530).
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein a shortest distance between the layer stack (510) and the shield (520) is in a range of 0.5-3 μm.
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the layer stack (510) comprises a TMR layer stack.
The magnetoresistive sensor (500) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the layer stack (510) and the at least one shield (520) are arranged on a common die.
A bridge circuit (900) having a plurality of magnetoresistive sensors as claimed in one of the preceding claims.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.