Strain sensing element, pressure sensor, microphone, blood pressure sensor, and touch panel

• US 9,651,432 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Fuji, Yoshihiko, Fukuzawa, Hideaki, Kaji, Shiori
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad R
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOPKINS, BRANDI N
• Application Number:
  US14/471,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20150082900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 73779, 73774, 73763, 73146, 7386269
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/125 by using magnetostrictive means magnetostrictive sensors H10N35/101
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/007 using variations in inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/003 Mems transducers or their use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a strain sensing element to be provided on a deformable substrate, the element includes: a reference layer; a magnetization free layer; and a spacer layer. Magnetization of the magnetization free layer changes in accordance with deformation of the substrate. The spacer layer is provided between the reference layer and the magnetization free layer. The magnetization free layer has: a first magnetic layer; a second magnetic layer; and a magnetic coupling layer. The first magnetic layer is provided in contact with the spacer layer. The second magnetic layer is provided to be separated from the first magnetic layer. The magnetic coupling layer is provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. Magnetization of the first magnetic layer is anti-parallel to magnetization of the second magnetic layer.

Claims

1. A strain sensing element to be provided on a substrate, the substrate being deformable, the element comprising:

a reference layer;

a first magnetic layer;

a second magnetic layer, the first magnetic layer being provided between the reference layer and the second magnetic layer;

a spacer layer provided between the reference layer and the first magnetic layer; and

a magnetic coupling layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the magnetic coupling layer including at least one selected from a group consisting of Ru, Rh and Ir,

both of a first magnetization of the first magnetic layer and a second magnetization of the second magnetic layer being configured to change in accordance with a deformation of the substrate, and

a first polarity of a magnetostriction constant of the first magnetic layer being the same as a second polarity of a magnetostriction constant of the second magnetic layer.

2. The strain sensing element according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer contains an amorphous material.

3. The strain sensing element according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer contains boron.

4. The strain sensing element according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic layer comprises a region including cobalt, and the region contacts the intermediate layer.

5. The strain sensing element according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic layer comprises a region having a crystalline structure, and the region contacts the magnetic coupling layer.

6. The strain sensing element according to claim 1, wherein an absolute value of the second magnetostriction constant is larger than an absolute value of the first magnetostriction constant.

7. The strain sensing element according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the magnetic coupling layer is not less than 0.8 nm and not more than 1 nm.

8. The strain sensing element according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the magnetic coupling layer is not less than 0.3 nm and not more than 0.6 nm.

9. The strain sensing element according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetization has a component opposite to the second magnetization.

10. A pressure sensor comprising:

a supporting part;

a substrate supported by the supporting part, the substrate being deformable; and

a strain sensing element provided on the substrate,

the strain sensing element including;

a reference layer;

a first magnetic layer;

a second magnetic layer, the first magnetic layer being provided between the reference layer and the second magnetic layer;

a spacer layer provided between the reference layer and the first magnetic layer,

and

a magnetic coupling layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the magnetic coupling layer including at least one selected from a group consisting of Ru, Rh and Ir,

both of a first magnetization of the first magnetic layer and a second magnetization of the second magnetic layer being configured to change in accordance with a deformation of the substrate, and

a first polarity of a magnetostriction constant of the first magnetic layer being the same as a second polarity of a magnetostriction constant of the second magnetic layer.

11. The sensor according to claim 10, comprising a plurality of the strain sensing elements which are provided on the substrate.

12. The sensor according to claim 11, wherein:

a circumscribing rectangle that circumscribes an shape of the substrate includes;

a first side;

a second side separated from the first side;

a third side connected to one end of the first side and one end of the second side;

a fourth side connected to another end of the first side and another end of the second side; and

a centroid of the circumscribing rectangle,

the circumscribing rectangle includes a first region surrounded by;

a line segment linking the centroid and the one end of the first side;

a line segment linking the centroid and the other end of the first side; and

the first side, and

at least two among the plurality of strain sensing elements are provided on a part of the substrate overlapping the first region.

13. The sensor according to claim 12, wherein each of positions of at least two of the plurality of strain sensing elements differs from each other in a direction parallel to the first side.

14. The sensor according to claim 11, wherein at least two of the plurality of strain sensing elements are stacked on the substrate.

15. The sensor according to claim 11, wherein at least two of the plurality of strain sensing elements are electrically connected in series.

16. A blood pressure sensor including the pressure sensor according to claim 10.

17. A touch panel including the pressure sensor according to claim 10.

18. A microphone comprising:

a pressure sensor;

a board; and

a cover, the pressure sensor being provided between the board and the cover,

the pressure sensor including;

a supporting part;

a substrate supported by the supporting part, the substrate being deformable; and

a strain sensing element provided on the substrate,

the strain sensing element including;

a reference layer;

a first magnetic layer;

a second magnetic layer;

the first magnetic layer being provided between the reference layer and the second magnetic layer;

a spacer layer provided between the reference layer and the first magnetic layer, and

a magnetic coupling layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the magnetic coupling layer including at least one selected from a group consisting of Ru, Rh and Ir,

both of a first magnetization of the first magnetic layer and a second magnetization of the second magnetic layer being configured to change in accordance with a deformation of the substrate, and

a first polarity of a magnetostriction constant of the first magnetic layer being the same as a second polarity of a magnetostriction constant of the second magnetic layer.