Low offset spinning current hall plate and method to operate it
First Claim
1. A Hall effect device configured to detect a magnetic field perpendicular to a substrate, comprising:
- a first even number of sense contacts having centers symmetrically disposed around a center point at distinct angular positions separated by angles equal to 360°
divided by the first even number, and comprising a first sense contact pair disposed along a first line and a second sense contact pair disposed along a second line intersecting and substantially perpendicular to the first line, wherein the first sense contact pair and the second sense contact pair are configured to respectively provide an electrical potential from the Hall effect device;
a second even number of force contacts equal to the first even number of sense contacts, and having centers symmetrically disposed around the center point at the distinct angular positions, wherein the second even number of force contacts comprise a first force contact pair and a second force contact pair, wherein the first force contact pair and the second force contact pair are configured to respectively provide an electrical current to the Hall effect device; and
wherein the second line extends between the first sense contact pair and between the first force contact pair.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing the effect of contact resistances for Hall effect device contacts. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a Hall effect device comprising a plurality of force and sense contact pairs. The force and sense contact pairs comprise a force contact and a separate and distinct sense contact. The force contact is configured to act as a supply terminal that receive an input signal while the sense contact is configured act as an output terminal to provide an output signal indicative of a measured magnetic field value. By utilizing separate contacts for inputting a signal (e.g., an applied current) and reading out a signal (e.g., an induced voltage) the non-linearities generated by contact resistances may be removed, thereby minimizing the zero point offset voltage of the measured magnetic field.
11 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A Hall effect device configured to detect a magnetic field perpendicular to a substrate, comprising:
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a first even number of sense contacts having centers symmetrically disposed around a center point at distinct angular positions separated by angles equal to 360°
divided by the first even number, and comprising a first sense contact pair disposed along a first line and a second sense contact pair disposed along a second line intersecting and substantially perpendicular to the first line, wherein the first sense contact pair and the second sense contact pair are configured to respectively provide an electrical potential from the Hall effect device;a second even number of force contacts equal to the first even number of sense contacts, and having centers symmetrically disposed around the center point at the distinct angular positions, wherein the second even number of force contacts comprise a first force contact pair and a second force contact pair, wherein the first force contact pair and the second force contact pair are configured to respectively provide an electrical current to the Hall effect device; and wherein the second line extends between the first sense contact pair and between the first force contact pair. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A Hall effect device, comprising:
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a first force contact configured to convey a first current and a second force contact configured to convey a second current different than the first current; a first sense contact and a second sense contact disposed along a first line, wherein the first sense contact and the second sense contact are separated by a first distance that is smaller than a second distance separating the first force contact and the second force contact; a third force contact configured to convey a third current and a fourth force contact configured to convey a fourth current different than the third current; and a third sense contact and a fourth sense contact disposed along a second line intersecting the first line, wherein the third sense contact and the fourth sense contact are separated by a third distance that is smaller than a fourth distance separating the third force contact and the fourth force contact; wherein the sense contacts are configured to respectively provide an electric potential. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A Hall effect device, comprising:
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a first sense contact pair disposed along a first line at a first position between a first force contact and a second force contact; a second sense contact pair disposed along a second line, intersecting the first line, at a second position between a third force contact and a fourth force contact; wherein respective force contacts are configured to provide electrical energy to the Hall effect device and respective sense contacts are configured to provide an output signal from the Hall effect device; and wherein the Hall effect device has a first number of the force contacts that is the same as a second number of the sense contacts. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification