Temperature compensator for hall effect circuit

• US 5,055,768 A
• Filed: 04/05/1990
• Issued: 10/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Plagens, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BEHA JR, WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US07/505,710
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 330/256, 323/368, 323/907, 307/309, 324/117 H, 324/225
• US Class Current: 323/368
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/0365 the undesired influence being measured using a separate sensor, which produces an influence related signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/07 Hall effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/907 Temperature compensation of semiconductor

Abstract

A resistor formed in the same epitaxial layer of semiconductor material in which a Hall element is formed is used to provide a temperature dependent voltage source which is inversely proportional to the resistance of a temperature sensitive load resistor on the Hall element output. A current mirror circuit is used to apply a current proportional to the current through the epitaxial layer resistor to the load resistor so that the voltage across through the load resistor varies in a direct relationship with the sensitivity of the Hall element.

Claims

1. In a circuit for sensing the effect of a magnetic field on a Hall effect element formed in a layer of semiconductor material:

(a) a temperature sensitive load resistor connected across the Hall element output;

(b) means for providing a temperature sensitive voltage across a temperature sensitive reference resistor which is inversely proportional to a resistance of the temperature sensitive load resistor; and

(c) current mirror circuit means for providing a current proportional to the current through the reference resistor to the temperature sensitive load resistor so that voltage across the load resistor varies with temperature in direct relationship with the sensitivity of the Hall effect element.

2. The circuit defined in claim 1 wherein said reference resistor is formed in the same layer of semiconductor material in which the Hall element is formed.

3. The circuit defined in claim 1, wherein:

said load resistor comprises two resistors connected across the Hall element output.

4. A circuit for providing a temperature compensated output responsive to magnetic field strength, comprising:

(a) a substrate of semiconductor material;

(b) a temperature sensitive Hall effect element formed in said material having a pair of bias terminals and a pair of output terminals between which a Hall voltage is generated when said Hall effect element is subjected to a magnetic field;

(c) power supply means having first and second terminals operatively connected across said bias terminals;

(d) amplifier means operatively connected to said pair of output terminals to receive said Hall voltage, said amplifier means having first and second output terminals;

(e) a first temperature sensitive load resistor connected between said first terminal of said power supply means and said first output terminal of said amplifier means;

(f) a second temperature sensitive load resistor connected between said first terminal of said power supply means and said second output terminal of said amplifier means;

(g) current mirror circuitry operatively connected between said first and second terminals of said power supply means including a temperature sensitive resistor, the resistance of which is proportional to the temperature sensitivity of said Hall effect element, and to a reference output terminal through which the current is proportional to the current through the reference resistor; and

(h) switch means for alternately connecting said reference output terminal to said first and second output terminals of said amplifier means;

whereby the voltage across said first and second temperature sensitive load resistors is inversely proportional to the resistance of said temperature sensitive reference resistor.

5. A circuit as defined in claim 4 wherein said temperature sensitive reference resistor is formed in a common epitaxial layer of semiconductor material with the Hall effect element.