Magnetic flux concentrator for in-plane direction magnetic field concentration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11237223-B2
Application number	US-201916521053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2019
Priority date	Jul 24, 2019
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

A structure includes a substrate which includes a surface. The structure also includes a horizontal-type Hall sensor positioned within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate. The structure further includes a patterned magnetic concentrator positioned above the surface of the substrate, and a protective overcoat layer positioned above the magnetic concentrator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A structure, comprising:
a substrate comprising a surface;
a horizontal-type Hall sensor positioned within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate;
a patterned magnetic concentrator positioned above the surface of the substrate; and
a protective overcoat layer positioned above the magnetic concentrator;
wherein the patterned magnetic concentrator comprises multiple magnetic layers;
wherein the multiple magnetic layers comprise a composition selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Fe, NiFe, CoNiFe, CoTaZr, and combinations thereof, and wherein the multiple magnetic layers are separated from each other via an insulating layer comprising a composition selected from the group consisting of AlN, Al 2 O 3 , and combinations thereof.

2. A structure, comprising:
a substrate comprising a surface;
a horizontal-type Hall sensor positioned within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate;
a patterned magnetic concentrator positioned above the surface of the substrate; and
a protective overcoat layer positioned above the magnetic concentrator;
wherein the patterned magnetic concentrator comprises multiple magnetic layers;
wherein the patterned magnetic concentrator further comprises an electrically conducting metal layer positioned below the multiple magnetic layers, and wherein the electrically conducting metal layer comprises a composition selected from the group consisting of Ti, W, Cu, and combinations thereof.

3. A structure, comprising:
a substrate comprising a surface;
a horizontal-type Hall sensor positioned within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate;
a patterned magnetic concentrator positioned above the surface of the substrate; and
a protective overcoat layer positioned above the magnetic concentrator;
wherein the patterned magnetic concentrator comprises multiple magnetic layers;
wherein the patterned magnetic concentrator further comprises an outer layer at least partially encasing the multiple magnetic layers, and wherein the outer layer comprises a composition selected from the group consisting of Ti, SiN, SiO 2 , SiON, and combinations thereof.

4. A structure, comprising:
a substrate comprising a surface;
a horizontal-type Hall sensor positioned within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate;
a patterned magnetic concentrator positioned above the surface of the substrate;
a protective overcoat layer positioned above the magnetic concentrator; and
a vertical-type Hall sensor positioned within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate, wherein the patterned magnetic concentrator comprises a gap at an inner portion of the patterned magnetic concentrator, wherein the vertical-type Hall sensor is positioned below the gap, and wherein the horizontal-type Hall sensor comprises multiple Hall sensors which are positioned below outer-edge portions, respectively, of the patterned magnetic concentrator.

5. A method of forming a structure, the method comprising:
forming a substrate comprising a surface;
positioning a horizontal-type Hall sensor within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate;
forming a magnetic concentrator above the surface of the substrate; and
forming a protective overcoat layer above the magnetic concentrator;
wherein the magnetic concentrator comprises multiple magnetic layers;
wherein the multiple magnetic layers comprise a composition selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Fe, NiFe, CoNiFe, CoTaZr, and combinations thereof, and wherein the multiple magnetic layers are separated from each other via an insulating layer comprising a composition selected from the group consisting of AlN, Al 2 O 3 , and combinations thereof.

6. A method of forming a structure, the method comprising:
forming a substrate comprising a surface;
positioning a horizontal-type Hall sensor within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate;
forming a magnetic concentrator above the surface of the substrate; and
forming a protective overcoat layer above the magnetic concentrator;
wherein the magnetic concentrator comprises multiple magnetic layers;
wherein the magnetic concentrator further comprises an electrically conducting metal layer positioned below the multiple magnetic layers, and wherein the electrically conducting metal layer comprises a composition selected from the group consisting of Ti, W, Cu, and combinations thereof.

7. A method of forming a structure, the method comprising:
forming a substrate comprising a surface;
positioning a horizontal-type Hall sensor within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate;
forming a magnetic concentrator above the surface of the substrate; and
forming a protective overcoat layer above the magnetic concentrator;
wherein the magnetic concentrator comprises multiple magnetic layers;
wherein the magnetic concentrator further comprises an outer layer at least partially encasing the multiple magnetic layers, and wherein the outer layer comprises a composition selected from the group consisting of Ti, SiN, SiO 2 , SiON, and combinations thereof.

8. A method of forming a structure, the method comprising:
forming a substrate comprising a surface;
positioning a horizontal-type Hall sensor within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate;
forming a magnetic concentrator above the surface of the substrate;
forming a protective overcoat layer above the magnetic concentrator; and
positioning a vertical-type Hall sensor within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate, wherein the patterned magnetic concentrator comprises a gap at an inner portion of the patterned magnetic concentrator, wherein the vertical-type Hall sensor is positioned below the gap, and wherein the horizontal-type Hall sensor comprises multiple Hall sensors which are positioned below outer-edge portions, respectively, of the patterned magnetic concentrator.

Assignees

• Texas Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Bito Jo
• Cook Benjamin Stassen
• Lee Dok Won
• Green Keith Ryan
• Jackson Ricky Alan
• French William David

Classifications

• G01R33/077

  Vertical Hall-effect devices · CPC title

• G01R33/0005

  Geometrical arrangement of magnetic sensor elements; Apparatus combining different magnetic sensor types (G01R33/0206 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R33/06

  using galvano-magnetic devices · CPC title

• B32B15/04

  comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/08; next to a water-setting substance layer B32B13/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/061; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/042)} · CPC title

• G01R33/07 Primary

  Hall effect devices · CPC title