HALL SENSOR ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR MEASURING A MAGNETIC FIELD

• US 20120169329A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Hellwig, Wolfgang, Ruebenacke, Stefan, Eberhardt, Fridemann, Tils, Valentin Von
• Granted Patent: US 9,063,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/251
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/07 Hall effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/075 Hall devices configured for spinning current measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 52/101 Semiconductor Hall-effect devices

Abstract

The invention provides a Hall sensor element having a substrate, which has a main surface, having an electrically conductive active region, which extends from the main surface into the substrate, and having a first electrically conductive, buried layer in the substrate, which contacts the active region at a first lower contact surface. From another standpoint, the invention provides a method for measuring a magnetic field with the aid of such a Hall sensor element, in which an electrical measuring current is conducted through the active region between a first upper contact electrode at the main surface and the first lower contact surface. A Hall voltage is picked up in the active region along a path running inclined with respect to a connecting line between the first lower contact surface and the first upper contact electrode. Alternatively, a measuring current is conducted through the active region over such a path, and a Hall voltage is picked up between the first upper contact electrode and the first lower contact surface.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A Hall sensor element, comprising:

a substrate having a main surface;

an electrically conductive active region extending from the main surface into the substrate; and

an electrically conductive first buried layer in the substrate, which contacts the active region at a first lower contact surface; and

a first upper contact electrode, which contacts the active region at the main surface;

wherein the first upper contact electrode is situated diagonally offset to the first lower contact surface so that a first operating current flows between the lower contact surface and the first upper contact electrode diagonally inclined with respect to the main surface, along a first connecting line inclined by 45°

with respect to the main surface.

13. The Hall sensor element of claim 12, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor substrate, and wherein the region is a semiconductor region of a first type of conductivity.

14. The Hall sensor element of claim 12, further comprising:

a second upper contact electrode and a third upper contact electrode, which contact the active region at the main surface.

15. The Hall sensor element of claim 14, wherein a Hall voltage is applied when a magnetic field is applied to the Hall sensor element between the second upper contact electrode and the third upper contact electrode.

16. The Hall sensor element of claim 12, further comprising:

a second electrically conductive buried layer, which contacts the active region at a second lower contact surface; and

the second upper contact electrode, which contacts the active region at the main surface;

wherein the first connecting line between the first lower contact surface and the first upper contact electrode runs inclined to a second connecting line between the second lower contact surface and the second upper contact electrode, and wherein the second connecting line is inclined by 45°

with respect to the main surface.

17. The Hall sensor element of claim 16, further comprising:

a third electrically conductive buried layer and a fourth electrically conductive buried layer, which contact the active region at a corresponding third lower contact surface and a fourth lower contact surface; and

a third upper contact electrode and a fourth upper contact electrode, which contact the active region at the main surface;

wherein a first plane, which is spanned by the first connecting line and the second connecting line, runs inclined to a second plane, which is spanned by a third connecting line between the third lower contact surface and the third upper contact electrode, and a fourth connecting line between the fourth lower contact surface and the fourth upper contact surface.

18. The Hall sensor element of claim 16, wherein when a magnetic field is applied to the Hall sensor element and a second operating current is applied between the second buried layer and the second upper contact electrode, a second Hall voltage can be picked up between the lower contact surface and the third upper contact electrode.

19. A Hall sensor element, for multidimensional or three-dimensional measurement of a magnetic field, comprising:

a substrate having a main surface;

an electrically conductive active region extending from the main surface into the substrate; and

an electrically conductive first buried layer in the substrate, which contacts the active region at a first lower contact surface; and

a first upper contact electrode, which contacts the active region at the main surface;

wherein the first upper contact electrode is situated diagonally offset to the first lower contact surface so that a first operating current flows between the lower contact surface and the first upper contact electrode diagonally inclined with respect to the main surface, along a first connecting line inclined by 45°

with respect to the main surface.

20. A method for measuring a magnetic field with the aid of a Hall sensor element, the method comprising:

conducting an electrical measuring current between a first upper contact electrode and a first lower contact surface, which is diagonally offset to the first upper contact electrode along a first connecting line through the active region which is inclined by 45°

in particular with respect to the main surface; and

picking up a Hall voltage in the active region along a path, which runs inclined to a connecting line between the first lower contact surface and the first upper contact electrode;

wherein the Hall sensor element includes;

a substrate having the main surface;

an electrically conductive active region extending from the main surface into the substrate; and

an electrically conductive first buried layer in the substrate, which contacts the active region at the first lower contact surface; and

the first upper contact electrode, which contacts the active region at the main surface.

21. The method for measuring a magnetic field with the aid of a Hall sensor element, the method comprising:

conducting an electrical measuring current through the active region over a path which runs inclined to a first connecting line between the first lower contact surface and the first upper contact electrode along a second connecting line, which is inclined in particular by 45°

with respect to the main surface; and

picking up a Hall voltage between the first upper contact electrode and the first lower contact surface;

wherein the Hall sensor element includes;

a substrate having the main surface;

an electrically conductive active region extending from the main surface into the substrate; and

an electrically conductive first buried layer in the substrate, which contacts the active region at the first lower contact surface; and

the first upper contact electrode, which contacts the active region at the main surface.