Micromachined semiconductor magnetic sensor

A magnetic field sensor comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate:
• a micromachined moveable conductive member suspended above the surface of said semiconductor substrate through which a current is passed, said moveable conductive member being deflected perpendicularly with respect to an applied magnetic field;
• and
• at least one first and second fixed conductive members arranged adjacent to said moveable conductive member, said moveable member deflecting to or away from said first and second fixed conductive members and defining variable capacitors therebetween, wherein said at least one first fixed conductive member is positioned underneath said beam and said at least one second fixed conductive member is supported above said semiconductor substrate in order to sense magnetic fields which are both perpendicular to and in the plane of said substrate.

A semiconductor magnetic field sensor comprising:

• a substrate;
• a moveable semiconductor element suspended above the surface of said substrate, said moveable element being configured to have a current passed therethrough and to deflect perpendicularly with respect to an applied magnetic field;
• and
• at least one first and second fixed semiconductor elements arranged adjacent to said moveable element, said moveable element being deflected to or away from said first and second fixed elements in response to an applied magnetic field and defining variable capacitors therebetween, wherein said at least one first fixed semiconductor element is positioned underneath said beam and said at least one second fixed semiconductor element is supported above said substrate in order to sense magnetic fields which are both perpendicular to and in the plane of said substrate.

A semiconductor magnetic field sensor comprising:

• a substrate;
• first and second semiconductor moveable beams suspended above the surface of said substrate, said first and second beams being configured to have equal and opposite currents passed therethrough and to deflect perpendicularly with respect to an applied magnetic field;
• and
• at least one first and second fixed semiconductor elements arranged adjacent to said first and second beams, respectively, said first and second beams being deflected to or away from said respective first and second fixed elements in response to an applied magnetic field and defining variable capacitors therebetween, wherein said at least one first fixed semiconductor element is positioned underneath said moveable beams and said at least one second fixed semiconductor element is supported above said substrate in order to sense magnetic fields which are both perpendicular to and in the plane of said substrate.

A device comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• at least one micromachined beam suspended above said semiconductor substrate through which a current is passed, said beam being deflected perpendicularly with respect to an applied magnetic field;
• and
• at least one fixed conductive member for sensing the deflection of said beam, said beam and fixed conductive member defining a variable capacitor therebetween, wherein said at least one fixed conductive member is supported above said semiconductor substrate parallel to and in the plane of said beam in order to sense magnetic fields which are perpendicular to the plane of said substrate.

A magnetic field sensor comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a micromachined moveable conductive member suspended above the surface of said semiconductor substrate through which a current is passed, said moveable conductive member being deflected perpendicularly with respect to an applied magnetic field;
• and
• at least one fixed conductive member arranged adjacent to said moveable conductive member, said moveable member deflecting to or away from said fixed conductive member and defining a variable capacitor therebetween, wherein said at least one fixed conductive member is supported above said semiconductor substrate, parallel to and in the plane of said beam, in order to sense magnetic fields which are perpendicular to the plane of said substrate.

A semiconductor magnetic field sensor comprising:

• a substrate;
• a moveable semiconductor element suspended above the surface of said substrate, said moveable element being configured to have a current passed therethrough and to deflect perpendicularly with respect to an applied magnetic field;
• and
• at least one fixed semiconductor element arranged adjacent to said moveable element, said moveable element being deflected to or away from said fixed element in response to an applied magnetic field and defining a variable capacitor therebetween, wherein said at least one fixed semiconductor element is supported above said substrate, parallel to and in the plane of said moveable element, in order to sense magnetic fields which are perpendicular to the plane of said substrate.