DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS INCLUDING MAGNETIC STRUCTURES

• US 20170178781A1
• Filed: 12/17/2015
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Analog Devices Global Unlimited Company (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'DONNELL, Alan J., GUYOL, Robert, MARTINEZ, Maria Jose, Fitzgerald, Padraig L., CALPE MARAVILLA, Javier, KUBIK, Jan, LYNCH, Michael P., ENGLISH, Eoin E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,145,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/00 Devices comprising flexible or deformable elements, e.g. comprising elastic tongues or membranes B81B5/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0091 Magnetic properties, e.g. guiding magnetic flux
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/09 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0033 with the coil helically wound around a magnetic core
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/0066 with a magnetic layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1815 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices

Abstract

A magnetic device may include a magnetic structure, a device structure, and an associated circuit. The magnetic structure may include a patterned layer of material having a predetermined magnetic property. The patterned layer may be configured to, e.g., provide a magnetic field, sense a magnetic field, channel or concentrate magnetic flux, shield a component from a magnetic field, or provide magnetically actuated motion, etc. The device structure may be another structure of the device that is physically connected to or arranged relative to the magnetic structure to, e.g., structurally support, enable operation of, or otherwise incorporate the magnetic structure into the magnetic device, etc. The associated circuit may be electrically connected to the magnetic structure to receive, provide, condition or process of signals of the magnetic device.

Claims

1. A magnetic device, comprising:

a magnetic structure including a patterned layer of material having a selected magnetic property;

a device structure physically coupled to the magnetic structure; and

a circuit electrically coupled to the magnetic structure.

2. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein the patterned layer of material includes a shaped portion including at least one of:

a circular region, a square region, a rectangular region, or a spiral-shaped region.

3. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein the patterned layer of material includes a plurality of shaped portions including at least one of:

a plurality of concentric rings, a plurality of rectangular regions, a plurality of linear regions, a plurality of arcuate regions, a plurality of t-shaped regions, or a plurality of l-shaped regions.

4. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein the material includes at least one of:

magnetoresistive material that has an electrical resistance that varies as a function of a magnetic field experienced by the material;

a magnetic material that produces a magnetic field;

a magnetic flux conductor that has a permeability to magnetic fields above a predetermined threshold;

or

a surface at an angle relative to a substrate on which the material is formed.

7. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein the device structure includes a package aperture formed about at least a portion of the magnetic structure to expose the structure to an environment external to the package.

8. The magnetic device of claim 1, further comprising a semiconductor substrate, wherein the device structure includes a surface on the semiconductor substrate.

11. The magnetic device of claim 1, further comprising a substrate, wherein the device structure includes a recess on the substrate.

12. The magnetic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate;

a cap mounted on the substrate; and

a substrate structure formed on the substrate under the cap,

wherein the device structure physically coupled to the magnetic structure includes a surface of the cap.

13. The magnetic device of claim 12, wherein the substrate structure includes a micromechanical structure.

16. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

the magnetic structure outputs an electrical signal representing a magnetic field about the magnetic structure, and the circuit receives and processes the electrical signal representing the magnetic field;

or

the magnetic structure produces an electrical signal in response to movement of a micromechanical structure.

19. The magnetic device of claim 1, further comprising a transmitting element to communicate a signal as a function of an electrical signal output by the magnetic structure.

20. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic structure forms at least part of at least one of:

a magnetic sensor;

a magnetic flux concentrator to channel and/or concentrate magnetic flux, wherein the magnetic flux concentrator includes a first patterned layer of material having a first flux surface area and a second patterned layer of magnetic material having a second flux surface area, the second flux area being different than the first flux area;

or

a micromechanical structure.

23. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic structure includes a first patterned layer of material forming a magnetic shield and a second patterned layer of material forming a magnetic sensor.

25. The magnetic device of claim 1, further comprising a composite layer including a plurality of portions of the patterned layer of material separated by a second material.

26. The magnetic device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of substrates, wherein the device structure includes an aperture extending through the plurality of substrates.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. A magnetic device, comprising:

a cap mounted on a substrate;

a micromechanical structure on the substrate and under the cap;

a magnetic structure disposed vertically relative to the cap, the magnetic structure including a patterned layer of material having a magnetic property; and

a circuit electrically coupled to the magnetic structure.

29. The magnetic device of claim 28, wherein the magnetic structure is below the cap, and wherein the micromechanical structure comprises a magnetic switch that includes the magnetic structure.

30. The magnetic device of claim 29, further comprising a second magnetic structure that includes a patterned second layer material under the micromechanical structure.

31. The magnetic device of claim 28, wherein the magnetic structure is above the cap and on a surface of the cap.

32. The magnetic device of claim 31, further comprising conductive wiring to electrically connect the magnetic structure to the circuit, wherein the circuit is in the substrate.

33. The magnetic device of claim 31, further comprising a conductive coil on the surface of the cap.

34. The magnetic device of claim 31, further comprising a magnetic flux concentrator extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the magnetic structure.

35. A magnetic device, comprising:

a magnetic sensor including patterned magnetoresistive material;

a circuit electrically coupled to the magnetic sensor; and

a magnetic flux concentrator to channel and/or concentrate magnetic flux of a magnetic field toward the magnetic sensor, the magnetic flux concentrator comprising a patterned layer of magnetic material on a substrate and having a magnetic property.

36. The magnetic device of claim 35, wherein the magnetic flux concentrator comprises a second patterned layer of magnetic material adjacent to the patterned layer, the magnetic material of the second patterned layer having a different flux surface area than the magnetic material of the patterned layer.

37. The magnetic device of claim 36, wherein the magnetic material of the second patterned layer is at least one of:

on the substrate and extends to a different height from the substrate than the magnetic material of the patterned layer;

or

on a surface of a recess in the substrate.

38. The magnetic device of claim 35, further comprising a cap on the substrate, wherein the magnetic sensor is on the cap.

39. The magnetic device of claim 35, wherein the magnetic sensor comprises an anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor.