Magnetic sensor, biological cell sensing device, and diagnostic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10849527-B2
Application number	US-201715698372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2017
Priority date	Mar 21, 2017
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a magnetic sensor includes a first sensor element and a first interconnect. The first sensor element includes a first magnetic layer, a first opposing magnetic layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer. A first magnetization of the first magnetic layer is aligned with a first length direction crossing a first stacking direction from the first magnetic layer toward the first opposing magnetic layer. At least a portion of the first interconnect extends along the first length direction. The first interconnect cross direction crosses the first length direction and is from the first sensor element toward the portion of the first interconnect. A first electrical resistance of the first sensor element changes according to an alternating current flowing in the first interconnect and a sensed magnetic field applied to the first sensor element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
a first sensor element including a first magnetic layer, a first opposing magnetic layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer, a first magnetization of the first magnetic layer being aligned with a first length direction, a first stacking direction from the first magnetic layer toward the first opposing magnetic layer crossing the first length direction; and
a first interconnect, at least a portion of the first interconnect extending along the first length direction, a first interconnect cross direction crossing the first length direction, the first interconnect cross direction being from the first sensor element toward the at least a portion of the first interconnect,
a first electrical resistance of the first sensor element changing according to an alternating current flowing in the first interconnect and a sensed magnetic field applied to the first sensor element,
wherein
the first electrical resistance increases when the alternating current flowing in the first interconnect has a positive polarity and the absolute value of the current increases, and
the first electrical resistance increases when the alternating current flowing in the first interconnect has a negative polarity and the absolute value of the current increases,
the first electrical resistance when the alternating current does not flow in the first interconnect is more than 1 times and less than 1.002 times a minimum value of the first electrical resistance obtained when the alternating current flowing in the first interconnect is changed.

2. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
a first length in the first length direction of the first magnetic layer is longer than a second length in a first width direction of the first magnetic layer, and
the first width direction crosses a plane including the first stacking direction and the first length direction.

3. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first interconnect cross direction is aligned with the first stacking direction.

4. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first nonmagnetic layer includes Cu.

5. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first sensor element further includes another first magnetic layer and another first nonmagnetic layer,
the first opposing magnetic layer is positioned between the first magnetic layer and the other first magnetic layer in the first stacking direction, and
the other first nonmagnetic layer is positioned between the other first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer in the first stacking direction.

6. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first sensor element further includes a first magnetic portion and a second magnetic portion,
the first opposing magnetic layer is positioned between the first magnetic portion and the second magnetic portion in a direction crossing a plane including the first stacking direction and the first length direction,
a thickness along the first stacking direction of the first magnetic portion is thicker than a thickness along the first stacking direction of the first opposing magnetic layer, and
a thickness along the first stacking direction of the second magnetic portion is thicker than the thickness along the first stacking direction of the first opposing magnetic layer.

7. The sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of first sensor one-end interconnects; and
a plurality of first sensor other-end interconnects,
a plurality of the first sensor elements being provided,
a plurality of the first interconnects being provided,
one of the plurality of first interconnects overlapping the plurality of first sensor elements in the first stacking direction,
the plurality of first interconnects being arranged in a cross direction crossing the first length direction and the first stacking direction,
the plurality of first sensor one-end interconnects extending along the first length direction,
one of the plurality of first sensor one-end interconnects being electrically connected to a first end of the first sensor element,
the plurality of first sensor other-end interconnects extending along the cross direction crossing the first length direction and the first stacking direction,
one of the plurality of first sensor other-end interconnects being electrically connected to a second end of the first sensor element.

8. The sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second sensor element; and
a second interconnect,
the second sensor element including a second magnetic layer, a second opposing magnetic layer, and a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the second magnetic layer and the second opposing magnetic layer,
a second magnetization of the second magnetic layer being aligned with a second length direction, a second stacking direction from the second magnetic layer toward the second opposing magnetic layer crossing the second length direction,
the second length direction crossing the first length direction,
at least a portion of the second interconnect extending along the second length direction, a second interconnect cross direction crossing the second length direction, the second interconnect cross direction being from the second sensor element toward the at least a portion of the second interconnect,
a second electrical resistance of the second sensor element changing according to an alternating current flowing in the second interconnect and the sensed magnetic field applied to the second sensor element.

9. The sensor according to claim 8 , wherein
a third length in the second length direction of the second magnetic layer is longer than a fourth length in a second width direction of the second magnetic layer, and
the second width direction is aligned with the first length direction.

10. The sensor according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a plurality of first sensor one-end interconnects;
a plurality of first sensor other-end interconnects; and
a plurality of second sensor one-end interconnects,
a plurality of the first sensor elements being provided,
a plurality of the first interconnects being provided,
the plurality of first interconnects being arranged in a cross direction crossing the first length direction and the first stacking direction,
one of the plurality of first interconnects overlapping one of the plurality of first sensor elements in the first stacking direction,
the plurality of first sensor one-end interconnects extending along the first length direction,
one of the plurality of first sensor one-end interconnects being electrically connected to a first end of the one of the plurality of first sensor elements,
the plurality of first sensor other-end interconnects extending along the cross direction crossing the first length direction and the first stacking direction,
one of the plurality of first sensor other-end interconnects being electrically connected to a second end of the one of the plurality of first sensor elements,
a plurality of the second sensor elements being provided,
a plurality of the second interconnects being provided,
at least a portion of one of the plurality of second interconnects overlapping at least a portion of one of the plurality of first sensor other-end interconnects in the first interconnect cross direction,
the plurality of second sensor one-end interconnects extending along the first length direction,
one of the plurality of second sensor one-end interconnects being electrically connected to a third end of one of the plurality of second sensor elements,
one of the plurality of first sensor other-end interconnects bei

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Iwasaki Hitoshi
• Kikitsu Akira
• Shirotori Satoshi

Classifications

• G01N33/4833 Primary

  of solid biological material, e.g. tissue samples, cell cultures (tissue in vivo A61B5/00; cell suspensions G01N33/48735) · CPC title

• A61B5/245

  specially adapted for magnetoencephalographic [MEG] signals · CPC title

• G01N27/72

  by investigating magnetic variables · CPC title

• H01S4/00

  Devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in wave ranges other than those covered by groups H01S1/00, H01S3/00 or H01S5/00, e.g. phonon masers, X-ray lasers or gamma-ray lasers · CPC title

• A61B5/05 Primary

  Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves (measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24) · CPC title