MAGNETIC SENSOR
First Claim
1. A magnetic sensor comprising:
- a magnetoresistance effect element configured to be formed by stacking a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer on a substrate so as to exhibit a magnetoresistance effect; and
soft magnetic bodies configured to change a direction of an external magnetic field applied from a direction orthogonal to a direction of a sensitivity axis of the magnetoresistance effect element into the direction of the sensitivity axis and to supply the external magnetic field to the magnetoresistance effect element, the soft magnetic bodies being disposed so as not to be in contact with the magnetoresistance effect element, wherein;
a Y direction of the magnetoresistance effect element is the direction of the sensitivity axis, and the soft magnetic bodies are each disposed on one side and the other side of the magnetoresistance effect element in the Y direction, among the soft magnetic bodies, a first soft magnetic body included in the softmagnetic bodies disposed on the one side of the magnetoresistance effect element and a second soft magnetic body included in the softmagnetic bodies disposed on the other side of the magnetoresistance effect element being displaced from each other in an X direction, which is orthogonal to the Y direction, so that the X direction of an external magnetic field applied from the X direction is changed to the Y direction between the first and second soft magnetic bodies and the external magnetic field flows into the magnetoresistance effect element; and
the magnetoresistance effect element includes an element linked body extending in the X direction, the element linked body including a plurality of element portions disposed with a space between the element portions in the X direction and an electrode layer disposed between the element portions, a soft magnetic body being disposed on each of one side and the other side of each of the element portions so that the soft magnetic bodies disposed on the one side and the other side of each of the element portions are displaced from each other in the X direction.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic sensor includes a plurality of magnetoresistance effect elements and soft magnetic bodies. Each of the magnetoresistance effect elements is formed by stacking a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer on a substrate so as to exhibit a magnetoresistance effect. The magnetoresistance effect element is configured such that element portions and electrode layers are alternately disposed. A soft magnetic body is disposed on one and the other sides of each of the element portions in the Y direction, and the soft magnetic bodies are displaced from each other in the X direction. With this arrangement, an external magnetic field applied in the X1 direction is changed into an external magnetic field in the Y direction when passing through the soft magnetic bodies, and the changed external magnetic field flows into the element portions.
11 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A magnetic sensor comprising:
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a magnetoresistance effect element configured to be formed by stacking a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer on a substrate so as to exhibit a magnetoresistance effect; and soft magnetic bodies configured to change a direction of an external magnetic field applied from a direction orthogonal to a direction of a sensitivity axis of the magnetoresistance effect element into the direction of the sensitivity axis and to supply the external magnetic field to the magnetoresistance effect element, the soft magnetic bodies being disposed so as not to be in contact with the magnetoresistance effect element, wherein; a Y direction of the magnetoresistance effect element is the direction of the sensitivity axis, and the soft magnetic bodies are each disposed on one side and the other side of the magnetoresistance effect element in the Y direction, among the soft magnetic bodies, a first soft magnetic body included in the softmagnetic bodies disposed on the one side of the magnetoresistance effect element and a second soft magnetic body included in the softmagnetic bodies disposed on the other side of the magnetoresistance effect element being displaced from each other in an X direction, which is orthogonal to the Y direction, so that the X direction of an external magnetic field applied from the X direction is changed to the Y direction between the first and second soft magnetic bodies and the external magnetic field flows into the magnetoresistance effect element; and the magnetoresistance effect element includes an element linked body extending in the X direction, the element linked body including a plurality of element portions disposed with a space between the element portions in the X direction and an electrode layer disposed between the element portions, a soft magnetic body being disposed on each of one side and the other side of each of the element portions so that the soft magnetic bodies disposed on the one side and the other side of each of the element portions are displaced from each other in the X direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification