MONOLITHIC DEVICE COMBINING CMOS WITH MAGNETORESISTIVE SENSORS

摘要

A monolithic device comprises a substrate. An array of sensing elements is coupled to the substrate, and each sensing element includes a magnetoresistive sensor. An analog electric drive generator is coupled to the substrate, and the electric drive generator produces a sensor-biasing signal that biases the magnetoresistive sensors of the array. An analog multiplexer is coupled to the substrate, and outputs of the array are coupled to inputs of the multiplexer. An analog signal conditioning circuit is coupled to the substrate, wherein at least one output of the multiplexer is coupled to at least one input of the signal conditioning circuit. The monolithic device is fabricated using both complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (i.e., CMOS) technology and thin film technology. For example, the electric drive generator, the multiplexer, and the signal conditioning circuit may be fabricated with CMOS technology, while the magnetoresistive sensors of the array are fabricated with thin film technology.

主权项

1. A monolithic device comprising:
a substrate;
an array of sensing elements coupled to the substrate, wherein each sensing element includes a linear magnetoresistive sensor and a switching device;a metallic structure coupled to the substrate, wherein the metallic structure is driven by a driving signal to generate a magnetic field about the array of sensing elements;an analog electric drive generator coupled to the substrate, wherein the electric drive generator produces a sensor-biasing signal that biases the magnetoresistive sensors of the array;an analog multiplexer coupled to the substrate, wherein outputs of the array are coupled to inputs of the multiplexer through the corresponding switching device; andan analog signal conditioning circuit coupled to the substrate, wherein an output of the multiplexer is coupled to an input of the signal conditioning circuit; wherein the metallic structure includes two opposite magnetic field generator lines and a third magnetic field generator line arranged such that a magnetoresistive sensor of the array of sensing elements is between the opposite magnetic field generator lines and above the third magnetic field generator line; and the array, the electric drive generator, the multiplexer and signal conditioning circuit form a monolithic integrated circuit on the substrate.