Current sensor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022099709-A1
Application number	US-202117484011-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 24, 2021
Priority date	Sep 25, 2020
Publication date	Mar 31, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sensor device includes a silicon substrate having an active surface; a first sensing area disposed near a first edge of the active surface of the silicon substrate such that the first sensing area has at least one first magnetic sensing element is made of a first compound semiconductor material and contact pads; and a second sensing area disposed near a second edge of the active surface of the silicon substrate, such that the second edge is substantially opposite to the first edge, such that the second sensing area has at least one second magnetic sensing element made of a second compound semiconductor material and contact pads. A processing circuit is disposed of in the silicon substrate and is electrically connected via wire bonds and/or a redistribution layer with the contact pads of the first and second sensing areas.

First claim

1 . A current sensor device comprising:
a silicon substrate having an active surface, a first sensing area disposed near a first edge of said active surface of said silicon substrate, said first sensing area comprising at least one first magnetic sensing element made of a first compound semiconductor material and at least four contact pads, a second sensing area disposed near a second edge of said active surface of said silicon substrate, said second edge being substantially opposite to said first edge, said second sensing area comprising at least one second magnetic sensing element made of a second compound semiconductor material and at least four contact pads, a processing circuit disposed in said silicon substrate and electrically connected via wire bonds and/or a redistribution layer with said contact pads of said first and of said second sensing area and arranged to derive a first signal based on signals received from said at least one first magnetic sensing element of said first sensing area, to derive a second signal based on signals received from said at least one second magnetic sensing element of said second sensing area and to compute a difference between said first and said second signal.

2 . The current sensor device as in claim 1 , wherein said first sensing area comprises at least two first magnetic sensing elements and said second sensing area comprises at least two second magnetic sensing elements.

3 . The current sensor device as in claim 1 , wherein said at least one first magnetic sensing element and/or said at least one second magnetic sensing elements is/are so positioned that there is no overlap with a lead frame of said current sensor device.

4 . The current sensor device as in claim 1 , wherein said first compound semiconductor material and/or said second compound semiconductor material is a III-V semiconductor material.

5 . The current sensor device as in claim 1 , wherein said current sensor device is coreless.

6 . The current sensor device as in claim 1 , wherein said first and/or second magnetic sensing elements are Hall effect elements.

7 . The current sensor device as in claim 1 , wherein said processing circuit disposed in said silicon substrate comprises a temperature and/or a stress sensor and is arranged to determine a temperature signal and/or stress signal from said temperature and/or stress sensor.

8 . The current sensor device as in claim 7 , wherein said processing circuit is arranged to adjust said first signal and/or said second signal based on said temperature signal and/or stress signal prior to computing said difference between said first and said second signal.

9 . The current sensor device as in claim 2 , wherein said at least two first magnetic sensing elements are orthogonally biased with respect to each other and/or said at least two second magnetic sensing elements are orthogonally biased with respect to each other.

10 . The current sensor device as in claim 1 , wherein an adhesive layer is provided between said silicon substrate and said first sensing area and between said silicon substrate and said second sensing area.

11 . The current sensor device as in claim 1 , wherein the distance between said first edge and a most nearby edge of a first magnetic sensing element of said first sensing area is less than 15% of the distance between said first edge and said second edge substantially opposite to said first edge.

12 . A current sensor system, comprising a current sensor device as in claim 1 and comprised in a package and a conductor for conducting electrical current, said conductor being outside said package comprising said current sensor device.

13 . The current sensor system as in claim 12 , wherein at least two first magnetic sensing elements of said current sensor device and at least two second magnetic sensing elements of said current sensor device are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the direction of said electrical current.

14 . The current sensor system as in claim 12 , wherein at least two first magnetic sensing elements of said current sensor device and at least two second magnetic sensing elements of said current sensor device are arranged in a direction parallel to said current direction.

Assignees

• Melexis Tech Sa

Inventors

• Barbut Lucian
• Monchal Francis
• Houis Simon
• Tombez Lionel

Classifications

• G01R15/202 Primary

  using Hall-effect devices (Hall elements in arrangements for measuring electrical power G01R21/08) · CPC title

• G01R19/0092 Primary

  Measuring current only · CPC title

• G01R33/075

  Hall devices configured for spinning current measurements · CPC title

• G01R33/0082

  Compensation, e.g. compensating for temperature changes · CPC title

• G01R33/0017

  Means for compensating offset magnetic fields or the magnetic flux to be measured; Means for generating calibration magnetic fields · CPC title