Magnetic field sensor based on topological insulator and insulating coupler materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10734571-B2
Application number	US-201816026381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2018
Priority date	Aug 11, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to a sensor having a first electrode, a second electrode and a detector region electrically coupled between the first electrode region and the second electrode region. The detector region includes a first layer having a topological insulator. The topological insulator includes a conducting path along a surface of the topological insulator, and the detector region further includes a second layer having a first insulating magnetic coupler, wherein a magnetic field applied to the detector region changes a resistance of the conducting path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a sensor, the method comprising:
forming a first electrode region;
forming a second electrode region;
forming a detector region;
electrically coupling the detector region to the first electrode and the second electrode;
forming the detector region to include a first layer comprising a topological insulator;
the topological insulator having an insulating region in a body of the topological insulator;
the topological insulator further having a conducing path along a surface of the topological insulator, wherein a steady state condition of the topological insulator comprises the insulation region acting as an insulator and the conducting path along the surface of the topological insulator acting as a current conductor;
forming the detector region to further include a second layer comprising a first insulating magnetic coupler configured to amplify the magnetic field applied to the detector region;
wherein a magnetic field applied to the detector region is sufficient to change the steady state condition of the topological insulator by developing energy gaps in the conducting path along the surface of the topological insulator that are sufficient to change a resistance of the conducting path; and
forming the detector region to further comprise a third layer comprising a second insulating magnetic coupler;
wherein the second insulating magnetic coupler amplifies the magnetic field applied to the detector region.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the topological insulator comprises implanted magnetic particles; and
the implanted magnetic particles amplify the magnetic field applied to the detector region.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a vacuum enclosure over at least a surface of the detector region.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
forming a substrate;
wherein the surface of the topological insulator is formed by:
forming a horizontal region that is substantially parallel to a surface of the substrate; and
forming a vertical region that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate:
wherein the magnetic field applied to the detector region comprises a magnetic field perpendicular the horizontal region or a magnetic field perpendicular the vertical region.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detector region comprises a third layer comprising a second insulating magnetic coupler.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second insulating magnetic coupler amplifies the magnetic field applied to the detector region.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second insulating coupler amplifies the magnetic field based at least in part on a magnetic exchange effect between the first layer and the third layer.

8. A method of forming a sensor, the method comprising:
forming a first electrode region;
forming a second electrode region;
forming a detector region; and
electrically coupling the detector region to the first electrode region and the second electrode region;
the detector region comprising a first layer comprising a topological insulator;
the topological insulator having an insulating region in a body of the topological insulator;
the topological insulator further having a conducing path along a surface of the topological insulator, wherein a steady state condition of the topological insulator comprises the insulation region acting as an insulator and the conducting path along the surface of the topological insulator acting as a current conductor;
the detector region further comprising a second layer comprising a first insulating magnetic coupler;
wherein a magnetic field applied to the detector region is sufficient to change a resistance of the conducting path by:
developing energy gaps in the conducting path along the surface of the topological insulator that are sufficient to change a resistance of the conducting path along the surface of the topological insulator; and
breaking a time-reversal symmetry characteristic of the topological insulator; and

wherein the first insulating magnetic coupler amplifies the magnetic field applied to the detector region based at least in part on a magnetic exchange effect between the first layer and the second layer.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the detector region comprises a third layer comprising a second insulating magnetic coupler.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second insulating magnetic coupler amplifies the magnetic field applied to the detector region.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second insulating coupler amplifies the magnetic field based at least in part on a magnetic exchange effect between the first layer and the third layer.

12. A method of forming a sensor, the method comprising:
forming a first electrode region;
forming a second electrode region; and
forming a detector region electrically coupled between the first electrode region and the second electrode region;
forming the detector region such that it comprises a first layer comprising a topological insulator;
the topological insulator having an insulating region in a body of the topological insulator;
the topological insulator further having a conducing path along a surface of the topological insulator, wherein a steady state condition of the topological insulator comprises the insulation region acting as an insulator and the conducting path along the surface of the topological insulator acting as a current conductor; and
forming the detector region such that it further comprises a second layer comprising a first insulating magnetic coupler;
wherein the first insulating magnetic coupler is positioned on or sufficiently close to the topological insulator such that the first insulating magnetic coupler amplifies a magnetic field applied to the detector region to a level that is sufficient to break a time reversal symmetry characteristic of the topological insulator; and
wherein the magnetic field, which has been amplified by the first insulating magnetic coupler and applied to the detector region, is sufficient to change the steady state condition of the topological insulator by developing energy gaps in the conducting path along the surface of the topological insulator that are sufficient to change a resistance of the conducting path.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the change to the resistance is sufficient to change the conducting path to an insulator.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Annunziata Anthony J
• Chudow Joel D
• Worledge Daniel C

Classifications

• H10N50/10

  Magnetoresistive devices · CPC title

• H10N50/01

  Manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• G01R33/1269 Primary

  of molecules labeled with magnetic beads (magnetic particles for bio assay G01N33/54326) · CPC title

• H10N50/80 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G01R33/09

  Magnetoresistive devices · CPC title