Integrated three-dimensional magnetic sensing device and method to fabricate an integrated three-dimensional magnetic sensing device
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating an integrated three-dimensional magnetic sensing device, the method comprising:
- etching a substrate to form at least one sloped surface of the substrate, wherein the at least one sloped surface is sloped with respect to a first surface area of the substrate and with respect to a second surface area of the substrate;
forming a first magnetic sensor unit on the first surface area of the substrate such that the first magnetic sensor unit senses a component of a magnetic field in a first direction, wherein forming the first magnetic sensor unit comprises depositing a first set of magnetoresistive strips on the first surface area of the substrate and depositing a first set of conductive straps on the first set of magnetoresistive strips, wherein the first set of conductive straps are arranged to form an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the first set of magnetoresistive strips;
forming a second magnetic sensor unit on the second surface area of the substrate such that the second magnetic sensor unit senses a component of a magnetic field in a second direction, wherein forming the second magnetic sensor unit comprises depositing a second set of magnetoresistive strips on the second surface area of the substrate and depositing a second set of conductive straps on the second set of magnetoresistive strips, wherein the second set of conductive straps are arranged to form an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the second set of magnetoresistive strips; and
forming a third magnetic sensor unit on the at least one sloped surface of the substrate such that the third magnetic sensor unit senses a component of a magnetic field in a third direction, wherein forming the third magnetic sensor unit comprises depositing a third set of magnetoresistive strips on the at least one sloped surface of the substrate and depositing a third set of conductive straps on the third set of magnetoresistive strips, wherein the third set of conductive straps are arranged to form an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the third set of magnetoresistive strips,wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are mutually orthogonal directions, andwherein the first set of conductive straps provide a linear operating range for the first set of magnetoresistive strips, the second set of conductive straps provide a linear operating range for the second set of magnetoresistive strips, and the third set of conductive straps provides a linear operating range for the third set of magnetoresistive strips.
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Abstract
An integrated three-dimensional magnetic or any field sensing device and a method to fabricate an integrated three-dimensional magnetic sensing device is presented. An integrated three-dimensional magnetic sensing device comprises an apparatus that defines at least a first surface area and at least one sloped surface which is sloped with respect to the first surface area. Two magnetic sensing units could be arranged on the first surface area to provide first and second orthogonal sensing directions, and a third magnetic sensing unit could be arranged on the at least one sloped surface to provide sensing in at least a third sensing direction which is orthogonal to the first and second orthogonal sensing directions. Bias could be applied to the third magnetic sensing unit to cancel a component of the magnetic field sensed by the third magnetic sensing unit so that the third magnetic sensor unit only provides sensing in the third direction.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating an integrated three-dimensional magnetic sensing device, the method comprising:
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etching a substrate to form at least one sloped surface of the substrate, wherein the at least one sloped surface is sloped with respect to a first surface area of the substrate and with respect to a second surface area of the substrate; forming a first magnetic sensor unit on the first surface area of the substrate such that the first magnetic sensor unit senses a component of a magnetic field in a first direction, wherein forming the first magnetic sensor unit comprises depositing a first set of magnetoresistive strips on the first surface area of the substrate and depositing a first set of conductive straps on the first set of magnetoresistive strips, wherein the first set of conductive straps are arranged to form an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the first set of magnetoresistive strips; forming a second magnetic sensor unit on the second surface area of the substrate such that the second magnetic sensor unit senses a component of a magnetic field in a second direction, wherein forming the second magnetic sensor unit comprises depositing a second set of magnetoresistive strips on the second surface area of the substrate and depositing a second set of conductive straps on the second set of magnetoresistive strips, wherein the second set of conductive straps are arranged to form an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the second set of magnetoresistive strips; and forming a third magnetic sensor unit on the at least one sloped surface of the substrate such that the third magnetic sensor unit senses a component of a magnetic field in a third direction, wherein forming the third magnetic sensor unit comprises depositing a third set of magnetoresistive strips on the at least one sloped surface of the substrate and depositing a third set of conductive straps on the third set of magnetoresistive strips, wherein the third set of conductive straps are arranged to form an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the third set of magnetoresistive strips, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are mutually orthogonal directions, and wherein the first set of conductive straps provide a linear operating range for the first set of magnetoresistive strips, the second set of conductive straps provide a linear operating range for the second set of magnetoresistive strips, and the third set of conductive straps provides a linear operating range for the third set of magnetoresistive strips. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of fabricating an integrated three-dimensional magnetic sensing device, the method comprising:
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etching a substrate to form at least one sloped surface of the substrate, wherein the at least one sloped surface is sloped with respect to a first surface area of the substrate and with respect to a second surface area of the substrate, wherein the at least one sloped surface includes a first sloped surface and a second sloped surface, and wherein the first sloped surface is opposite the second sloped surface; forming a first magnetic sensor on the first surface area of the substrate such that the first magnetic sensor senses a component of a magnetic field in a first direction; forming a second magnetic sensor on the second surface area of the substrate such that the second magnetic sensor senses a component of a magnetic field in a second direction; forming a third magnetic sensor on the at least one sloped surface of the substrate such that the third magnetic sensor senses a component of a magnetic field in a third direction, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are mutually orthogonal, and wherein the third direction is vertical to the first surface area and the second surface area; and arranging on the third magnetic sensor a biasing means for cancelling at the third magnetic sensor magnetic field components parallel to the first surface area and the second surface area, whereby the third magnetic sensor detects components of the magnetic field in the third direction.
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7. A three-dimensional magnetic sensing device comprising:
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a substrate comprising a first surface area, a second surface area, a first sloped surface, and a second sloped surface, wherein the first sloped surface is opposite the second sloped surface, and the first sloped surface and the second sloped surface are sloped with respect to the first surface area and the second surface area; a first magnetic sensor that senses a component of a magnetic field in a first direction, wherein the first magnetic sensor is located on the first surface area; a second magnetic sensor that senses a component of the magnetic field in a second direction, wherein the second magnetic sensor is located on the second surface area; a third magnetic sensor that senses a component of the magnetic field in a third direction, wherein a first part of the third magnetic sensor is located on the first sloped surface and a second part of the third magnetic sensor is located on the second sloped surface; and a biasing device located on the third magnetic sensor, wherein the biasing device cancels at the third magnetic sensor magnetic field components parallel to the first surface and the second surface, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first surface area and the second surface area, and wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are mutually orthogonal directions. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A three-dimensional magnetic sensing device comprising:
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a substrate comprising a first surface area, a second surface area, and at least one sloped surface that is sloped with respect to the first surface area and the second surface area; a first magnetic sensor comprising;
(i) a first set of magnetoresistive strips deposited on the first surface area of the substrate, and (ii) a first set of conductive straps deposited on the first set of magnetoresistive strips, wherein each conductive strap of the first set of conductive straps forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to a long edge of the magnetoresistive strip to which the conductive strap is deposited, and wherein the first magnetic sensor senses a component of a magnetic field in a first direction;a second magnetic sensor comprising;
(i) a second set of magnetoresistive strips deposited on the second surface area of the substrate, and (ii) a second set of conductive straps deposited on the second set of magnetoresistive strips, wherein each conductive strap of the second set of conductive straps forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to a long edge of the magnetoresistive strip to which the conductive strap is deposited, and wherein the second magnetic sensor senses a component of a magnetic field in a second direction;a third magnetic sensor comprising;
(i) a third set of magnetoresistive strips deposited on the at least one sloped surface of the substrate, and (ii) a third set of conductive straps deposited on the third set of magnetoresistive strips, wherein each conductive strap of the third set of conductive straps forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to a long edge of the magnetoresistive strip to which the conductive strap is deposited, and wherein the third magnetic sensor senses a component of a magnetic field in a third direction;wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are mutually orthogonal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification