SENSOR AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20170059424A1
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: YUZAWA, Akiko, FUKUZAWA, Hideaki, MASUNISHI, Kei, HIGASHI, Yoshihiro, HARA, Michiko, FUJI, Yoshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 10,345,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/125 by using magnetostrictive means magnetostrictive sensors H10N35/101
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2206 Special supports with preselected places to mount the resistance strain gauges; Mounting of supports
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2287 constructional details of the strain gauges adjustable resistors H01C10/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/16 by making use of variations in the magnetic properties of material resulting from the application of stress

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a first sensor unit, a first stacked body, and a film unit. The first sensor unit includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer, the first intermediate layer being provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The first stacked body includes a third magnetic layer, a fourth magnetic layer, and a second intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer being provided between the third magnetic layer and the fourth magnetic layer. The film unit is deformable. A portion of the film unit is disposed between the first sensor unit and the first stacked body.

Claims

1. A sensor, comprising:

a first sensor unit, the first sensor unit including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer, the first intermediate layer being provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer;

a first stacked body, the first stacked body including a third magnetic layer, a fourth magnetic layer, and a second intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer being provided between the third magnetic layer and the fourth magnetic layer; and

a film unit, the film unit being deformable, a portion of the film unit being disposed between the first sensor unit and the first stacked body.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein

an electrical resistance between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer changes according to the deformation of the film unit.

3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein

an electrical resistance between the third magnetic layer and the fourth magnetic layer changes according to the deformation of the film unit.

4. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a supporter supporting the film unit.

5. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a supporter;

a first electrode layer; and

a second electrode layer,

the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer being disposed between a portion of the first electrode layer and a portion of the second electrode layer,

the film unit including a fixed region and a deformation region, the fixed region being fixed to the supporter, the deformation region deforming,

a portion of at least one of the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer overlapping the fixed region in a second direction, the second direction intersecting a first direction, the first direction being from the fixed region toward the deformation region.

6. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein

the deformation region includes a center of the deformation region, and a peripheral region provided around the center,

the portion of the film unit is positioned in the peripheral region, and

a distance between the peripheral region and the fixed region is shorter than a distance between the peripheral region and the center.

7. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a supporter;

a third electrode layer; and

a fourth electrode layer,

the third magnetic layer and the fourth magnetic layer being disposed between a portion of the third electrode layer and a portion of the fourth electrode layer,

the film unit including a fixed region and a deformation region, the fixed region being fixed to the supporter, the deformation region deforming,

a portion of at least one of the third electrode layer or the fourth electrode layer overlapping the fixed region in a second direction, the second direction intersecting a first direction, the first direction being from the fixed region toward the deformation region.

8. The sensor according to claim 7, wherein

the deformation region includes a center of the deformation region, and a peripheral region provided around the center,

the portion of the film unit is positioned in the peripheral region, and

a distance between the peripheral region and the fixed region is shorter than a distance between the peripheral region and the center.

9. The sensor according to claim 7, wherein the portion of at least one of the third electrode layer or the fourth electrode layer is disposed between the supporter and the fixed region

10. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein one of at least a first magnetization of the first magnetic layer or a second magnetization of the second magnetic layer changes according to the deformation of the film unit.

11. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second sensor unit, the second sensor unit including a fifth magnetic layer, a sixth magnetic layer, and a third intermediate layer, the third intermediate layer being provided between the fifth magnetic layer and the sixth magnetic layer; and

a second stacked body, the second stacked body including a seventh magnetic layer, an eighth magnetic layer, and a fourth intermediate layer, the fourth intermediate layer being provided between the seventh magnetic layer and the eighth magnetic layer,

one other portion of the film unit being disposed between the second sensor unit and the second stacked body.

12. The sensor according to claim 11, wherein the second sensor unit is electrically connected in series to the first sensor unit.

19. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate; and

a cover,

the first sensor unit and the film unit being disposed between the substrate and the cover.

20. An electronic device further comprising:

a housing provided around the sensor according to claim 1.

13. A sensor, comprising:

a first sensor unit, the first sensor unit including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer, the first intermediate layer being provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer;

a first layer; and

a film unit, the film unit being deformable, a portion of the film unit being disposed between the first sensor unit and the first film,

a material of the first layer being different from a material of the film unit.

14. The sensor according to claim 13, wherein

one other portion of the film unit does not overlap the first layer in a direction being from the portion of the film unit toward the first sensor unit.

15. The sensor according to claim 13, further comprising:

a supporter supporting the film unit.

16. The sensor according to claim 15, wherein

a film unit position along a direction from the portion toward the first sensor unit is disposed between a first sensor position along the direction of the first sensor unit and a supporter position along the direction of the supporter, and

a first position along the direction of the first layer is disposed between the film unit position and the supporter position.

17. The sensor according to claim 16, further comprising:

a first electrode layer; and

a second electrode layer,

at least a portion of the first magnetic layer and at least one of the second magnetic layer being disposed between at least one of the first electrode layer and at least one of the second electrode layer, and

at least one of the first layer including a same material as a material included in at least one the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer.

18. The sensor according to claim 17, further comprising a supporter supporting the film unit,

a film unit position along a direction from the portion toward the first sensor unit being disposed between a first layer position along the direction of the first layer and a supporter position along the direction of the supporter, and

a first sensor position along the direction of the first sensor unit being disposed between the first layer position and the film unit position.