Sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11137281-B2
Application number	US-201916281157-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2019
Priority date	Sep 14, 2018
Publication date	Oct 5, 2021
Grant date	Oct 5, 2021

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a structure body, an element portion, and a power line. The structure body includes a supporter and a film portion. The film portion is supported by the supporter and includes an end portion. The end portion is aligned with a first direction and supported by the supporter. The element portion includes a first element provided at the film portion. The first element includes a first magnetic layer, a first opposing magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the film portion, and a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer. A second direction from the first opposing magnetic layer toward the first magnetic layer crosses the first direction. The power line is electrically insulated from the element portion. The power line includes a portion aligned with the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor, comprising:
a structure body comprising a supporter and a film portion, the film portion being supported by the supporter and comprising an end portion, the end portion being aligned with a first direction and supported by the supporter;
an element portion comprising a first element provided at the film portion, the first element comprising:
a first magnetic layer;
a first opposing magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the film portion;
a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer, a second direction from the first opposing magnetic layer toward the first magnetic layer crossing the first direction; and
an electrode; and

a power line electrically insulated from the element portion, the power line comprising a portion aligned with the first direction, a direction from the aligned portion of the power line toward the first element being aligned with the second direction;
wherein the first opposing magnetic layer is on a first side of the electrode in the second direction, and the film portion and the power line are on a second side of the electrode in the second direction.

2. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the film portion is provided between the power line and the first element.

3. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first element is provided between the film portion and the power line.

4. The sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising a circuit portion electrically connected to the power line, the circuit portion supplying a current to the power line, the current having an alternating current component having a first frequency.

5. The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein:
the circuit portion is electrically connected to the element portion; and
the circuit portion is configured to output a third signal based on a first signal and a second signal, the first signal relating to the first frequency and the second signal being obtained from the element portion.

6. The sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the first frequency is higher than a frequency of a deformation of the film portion.

7. The sensor according to claim 5 , wherein
the second signal is a signal modulated by a deformation of the film portion; and
the circuit portion outputs the third signal by demodulating the second signal.

8. The sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the current comprises a direct current component.

9. The sensor according to claim 5 , wherein:
the element portion further comprises a second element provided at the film portion;
the second element comprises:
a second magnetic layer;
a second opposing magnetic layer provided between the second magnetic layer and the film portion; and
a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the second magnetic layer and the second opposing magnetic layer;

a direction from the second opposing magnetic layer toward the second magnetic layer is aligned with the second direction;
a direction from the first element toward the second element is aligned with the first direction;
a direction from the aligned portion of the power line toward the second element is aligned with the second direction; and
the second signal is obtained from the first element and the second element.

10. The sensor according to claim 9 , wherein the second element is connected in series to the first element.

11. A sensor, comprising:
a structure body comprising a supporter and a film portion, the film portion being supported by the supporter and including an end portion, the end portion being aligned with a first direction and supported by the supporter;
an element portion comprising a first element and a second element provided at the film portion, the first element comprising:
a first magnetic layer;
a first opposing magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the film portion; and
a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer, a second direction from the first opposing magnetic layer toward the first magnetic layer crossing the first direction, the second element including a second magnetic layer, a second opposing magnetic layer provided between the second magnetic layer and the film portion, and a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the second magnetic layer and the second opposing magnetic layer, a direction from the second opposing magnetic layer toward the second magnetic layer being aligned with the second direction, a direction from the first element toward the second element being aligned with the first direction; and

a first power line and a second power line electrically insulated from the element portion, a direction from a part of the first power line toward the first element being aligned with the second direction, a direction from a part of the second power line toward the second element being aligned with the second direction, and the part of the first power line and the part of the second power line being aligned with the first direction.

12. The sensor according to claim 11 , further comprising a circuit portion electrically connected to the first power line and the second power line, the circuit portion supplying a first current having an alternating current component to the first power line and supplying a second current having an alternating current component to the second power line.

13. The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein:
the first power line comprises a first portion and a second portion, a direction from the first portion toward the second portion being aligned with the first direction;
the second power line comprises a third portion and a fourth portion, a direction from the third portion toward the fourth portion being aligned with the first direction;
the second portion is provided between the first portion and the fourth portion;
the third portion is provided between the second portion and the fourth portion;
the part of the first power line is between the first portion and the second portion;
the part of the second power line is between the third portion and the fourth portion;
the second current flows from the fourth portion toward the third portion in at least a portion of a time when the first current flows from the first portion toward the second portion; and
the second current flows from the third portion toward the fourth portion in at least a portion of a time when the first current flows from the second portion toward the first portion.

14. The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first current or the second current also has a direct current component.

15. The sensor according to claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the film portion is provided between the first power line and the first element.

16. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first element further comprises a third magnetic layer;
the first magnetic layer is provided between the third magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer; and
the third magnetic layer comprises at least one of a first material or a second material, the first material comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of Ir—Mn, Pt—Mn, Pd—Pt—Mn, and Ru—Rh—Mn, the second material comprising at least one of CoPt where a ratio of Co is not less than 50 at. % and not more than 85 at. %, (Co x1 Pt 100−x1 ) 100−y1 Cr y1 where x1 is not less than 50 at. % and not more than 85 at. %, and y1 is not less than 0 at. % and not more than 40 at. %, or FePt where a ratio of Pt is not less than 40 at.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Higashi Yoshihiro
• Fuji Yoshihiko
• Okamoto Kazuaki
• Baba Shotaro
• Hara Michiko

Classifications

• G01H11/02 Primary

  by magnetic means, e.g. reluctance · CPC title

• H04R1/04

  Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor (in electric hearing aids H04R25/00) · CPC title