The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 17, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2004
Johannes DE Wilde, Eindhoven, NL;
Jose DE Jesus Pineda DE Gyvez, Eindhoven, NL;
Franciscus Gerardus Maria DE Jong, Eindhoven, NL;
Josephus Antonius Huisken, Eindhoven, NL;
Hans Marc Bert Boeve, Eindhoven, NL;
Kim Phan Le, Eindhoven, NL;
Johannes De Wilde, Eindhoven, NL;
Jose De Jesus Pineda De Gyvez, Eindhoven, NL;
Franciscus Gerardus Maria De Jong, Eindhoven, NL;
Josephus Antonius Huisken, Eindhoven, NL;
Hans Marc Bert Boeve, Eindhoven, NL;
Kim Phan Le, Eindhoven, NL;
NXP B.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
A sensor for contactlessly detecting currents, has a sensor element having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), and detection circuitry, the sensor element having a resistance which varies with the magnetic field, and the detection circuitry is arranged to detect a tunnel current flowing through the tunnel junction. The sensor element may share an MTJ stack with memory elements. Also it can provide easy integration with next generation CMOS processes, including MRAM technology, be more compact, and use less power. Solutions for increasing sensitivity of the sensor, such as providing a flux concentrator, and for generating higher magnetic fields with a same current, such as forming L-shaped conductor elements, are given. The greater sensitivity enables less post processing to be used, to save power for applications such as mobile devices. Applications include current sensors, built-in current sensors, and IDDQ and IDDT testing, even for next generation CMOS processes.