Magnetic sensor and method for detecting magnetic field
First Claim
1. A magnetic sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
a semiconductor region disposed in the substrate and having a predetermined conductive type;
a magnetic field detection portion disposed in the semiconductor region;
a pair of first electrodes disposed on a surface of the semiconductor region; and
two pairs of second electrodes disposed on the surface of the semiconductor region, wherein one pair of second electrodes sandwiches one of first electrodes, and the other pair of second electrodes sandwiches the other one of first electrodes, wherein the one pair of second electrodes includes first and second terminals, and the other pair of second electrodes includes third and fourth terminals, the first and third terminals are disposed on one side of a line connecting between the first electrodes, and the second and fourth terminals are disposed on the other side of the line, the first and fourth terminals are electrically coupled with a first wiring, and the second and third terminals are electrically coupled with a second wiring, the magnetic field detection portion, the first electrodes and the second electrodes provide a vertical Hall element, the vertical Hall element generates a Hall voltage corresponding to a magnetic field when the magnetic field in parallel to the surface of the substrate is applied to the magnetic field detection portion, and a driving current is supplied to the magnetic field detection portion, and one of the first and second electrodes supplies the driving current, and the other one of the first and second electrodes detects the Hall voltage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic sensor includes: a substrate; a semiconductor region; a magnetic field detection portion; a pair of first electrodes; and two pairs of second electrodes. One pair of second electrodes includes first and second terminals, and the other pair includes third and fourth terminals. The first and third terminals are disposed on one side, and the second and fourth terminals are disposed on the other side. The first and fourth terminals are electrically coupled, and the second and third terminals are electrically coupled. The magnetic field detection portion and the first and second electrodes provide a vertical Hall element. One of the first and second electrodes supplies a driving current, and the other one detects the Hall voltage.
86 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A magnetic sensor comprising:
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a substrate;
a semiconductor region disposed in the substrate and having a predetermined conductive type;
a magnetic field detection portion disposed in the semiconductor region;
a pair of first electrodes disposed on a surface of the semiconductor region; and
two pairs of second electrodes disposed on the surface of the semiconductor region, wherein one pair of second electrodes sandwiches one of first electrodes, and the other pair of second electrodes sandwiches the other one of first electrodes, wherein the one pair of second electrodes includes first and second terminals, and the other pair of second electrodes includes third and fourth terminals, the first and third terminals are disposed on one side of a line connecting between the first electrodes, and the second and fourth terminals are disposed on the other side of the line, the first and fourth terminals are electrically coupled with a first wiring, and the second and third terminals are electrically coupled with a second wiring, the magnetic field detection portion, the first electrodes and the second electrodes provide a vertical Hall element, the vertical Hall element generates a Hall voltage corresponding to a magnetic field when the magnetic field in parallel to the surface of the substrate is applied to the magnetic field detection portion, and a driving current is supplied to the magnetic field detection portion, and one of the first and second electrodes supplies the driving current, and the other one of the first and second electrodes detects the Hall voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A magnetic sensor comprising:
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a substrate;
a semiconductor region disposed in the substrate and having a predetermined conductive type;
a magnetic field detection portion disposed in the semiconductor region;
a first electrode having first, second and third pads, which are disposed on a surface of the semiconductor region and aligned on a line connecting between the first and third pads so that the first and third pads sandwich the second pad; and
a second electrode having first to sixth terminals disposed on the surface of the semiconductor region, wherein the first and second terminals sandwich the first pad, the third and fourth terminals sandwich the second pad, and the fifth and sixth terminals sandwich the third pad, wherein the first, third and fifth terminals are disposed on one side of a line connecting between the first and third pads, and the second, fourth and sixth terminals are disposed on the other side of the line, the first, fourth and fifth terminals are electrically coupled with a seventh wiring, and the second, third and sixth terminals are electrically coupled with an eighth wiring, the magnetic field detection portion, the first electrode and the second electrode provide a vertical Hall element, the vertical Hall element generates a Hall voltage corresponding to a magnetic field when the magnetic field in parallel to the surface of the substrate is applied to the magnetic field detection portion, and a driving current is supplied to the magnetic field detection portion, and one of the first and second electrodes supplies the driving current, and the other one of the first and second electrodes detects the Hall voltage. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for detecting a magnetic field comprising:
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supplying a driving current to a magnetic field detection portion, wherein the magnetic field detection portion is disposed in a semiconductor region having a predetermined conductive type, and wherein the semiconductor region is disposed in a substrate; and
detecting a Hall voltage corresponding to the magnetic field, which is in parallel to a surface of the substrate and applied to the magnetic field detection portion, wherein a pair of first electrodes is disposed on a surface of the semiconductor region, two pairs of second electrodes are disposed on the surface of the semiconductor region, one pair of second electrodes sandwiches one of first electrodes, and the other pair of second electrodes sandwiches the other one of first electrodes, the one pair of second electrodes includes first and second terminals, and the other pair of second electrodes includes third and fourth terminals, the first and third terminals are disposed on one side of a line connecting between the first electrodes, and the second and fourth terminals are disposed on the other side of the line, the first and fourth terminals are electrically coupled with a first wiring, and the second and third terminals are electrically coupled with a second wiring, the magnetic field detection portion, the first electrodes and the second electrodes provide a vertical Hall element, the driving current is supplied to the magnetic field detection portion through one of the first and second electrodes so that the one of the first and second electrodes provides a driving current supply electrode, and the Hall voltage is detected through the other one of the first and second electrodes so that the other one of the first and second electrodes provides a Hall voltage detecting electrode, the method further comprising;
switching the one of the first and second electrodes from the driving current supply electrode to the Hall voltage detecting electrode, and switching the other one of the first and second electrodes from the Hall voltage detecting electrode to the driving current supply electrode. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A method for detecting a magnetic field comprising:
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supplying a driving current to a magnetic field detection portion, wherein the magnetic field detection portion is disposed in a semiconductor region having a predetermined conductive type, and wherein the semiconductor region is disposed in a substrate; and
detecting a Hall voltage corresponding to the magnetic field, which is in parallel to a surface of the substrate and applied to the magnetic field detection portion, wherein a first electrode includes first, second and third pads, which are disposed on a surface of the semiconductor region and aligned on a line connecting between the first and third pads so that the first and third pads sandwich the second pad, a second electrode includes first to sixth terminals disposed on the surface of the semiconductor region, the first and second terminals sandwich the first pad, the third and fourth terminals sandwich the second pad, and the fifth and sixth terminals sandwich the third pad, the first, third and fifth terminals are disposed on one side of a line connecting between the first and third pads, and the second, fourth and sixth terminals are disposed on the other side of the line, the first, fourth and fifth terminals are electrically coupled with a seventh wiring, and the second, third and sixth terminals are electrically coupled with an eighth wiring, the magnetic field detection portion, the first electrode and the second electrode provide a vertical Hall element, the driving current is supplied to the magnetic field detection portion through one of the first and second electrodes so that the one of the first and second electrodes provides a driving current supply electrode, and the Hall voltage is detected through the other one of the first and second electrodes detects the Hall voltage so that the other one of the first and second electrodes provides a Hall voltage detecting electrode, the method further comprising;
switching the one of the first and second electrodes from the driving current supply electrode to the Hall voltage detecting electrode, and switching the other one of the first and second electrodes from the Hall voltage detecting electrode to the driving current supply electrode. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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Specification