Current sensor
First Claim
1. A current sensor for detecting a current in the range of 10 mA to 50 mA, comprising:
- a first conductor disposed in a first layer, the first conductor having a first extended portion extending in a first direction and being supplied with the current; and
a first magnetoresistive element disposed in a second layer in an area corresponding to the first extended portion, a resistance value of the first magnetoresistive element varying according to a first magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the first extended portion, the current sensor satisfying the following conditional expressions (1) and (2);
0.4 μ
m≦
D1≦
1.0 μ
m
(1)
0.4 μ
m2≦
S1≦
3.0 μ
m2
(2) where D1 is a distance between a first extended portion and a first magnetoresistive element; and
S1 is an area of a cross-section orthogonal to a first direction in the first extended portion.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A current sensor that is compact can detect with high sensitivity and high accuracy a magnetic field generated by a current. The current sensor has a thin film coil including turn portions extending in an X-axis direction at a second layer, and a first magnetoresistive element which includes element patterns disposed at a first layer in areas corresponding to the turn portions, the resistance value of which varies according to a magnetic field generated by a current detected of from 10 to 50 mA flowing through the turn portions. The distance between each turn portion and each element pattern is from 0.4 to 1.0 μm. Each cross-sectional area at the turn portions is from 0.4 to 3.0 μm2. This permits efficient detection of a magnetic field without the influence of heat generated from the thin film coil.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A current sensor for detecting a current in the range of 10 mA to 50 mA, comprising:
-
a first conductor disposed in a first layer, the first conductor having a first extended portion extending in a first direction and being supplied with the current; and
a first magnetoresistive element disposed in a second layer in an area corresponding to the first extended portion, a resistance value of the first magnetoresistive element varying according to a first magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the first extended portion, the current sensor satisfying the following conditional expressions (1) and (2);
0.4 μ
m≦
D1≦
1.0 μ
m
(1)
0.4 μ
m2≦
S1≦
3.0 μ
m2
(2)where D1 is a distance between a first extended portion and a first magnetoresistive element; and
S1 is an area of a cross-section orthogonal to a first direction in the first extended portion. - View Dependent Claims (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32)
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2. A current sensor for detecting a current in the range of 3 mA to 50 mA, comprising:
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a first conductor disposed in a first layer, the first conductor having a first extended portion extending in a first direction and being supplied with the current; and
a first magnetoresistive element disposed in a second layer in an area corresponding to the first extended portion, a resistance value of the first magnetoresistive element varying according to a first magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the first extended portion, the current sensor satisfying the following conditional expressions (3) and (4);
0.2 μ
m≦
D1≦
0.4 μ
m
(3)
0.4 μ
m2≦
S1≦
2.5 μ
m2
(4)where D1 is a distance between a first extended portion and a first magnetoresistive element; and
S1 is an area of a cross-section orthogonal to a first direction in the first extended portion. - View Dependent Claims (4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31)
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Specification