DUAL AXIS MAGNETIC SENSOR

摘要

A two-axis magnetic field sensor (10) includes a substrate (104), a first sensor (102) having at least one magnetoresistive element formed of GMR material on the substrate has a free layer (88) having an easy axis of effective anisotropy field in a first direction. The first sensor is sensitive to magnetic field components perpendicular to the first direction. A current is caused to flow through the first sensor and variations in the resistivity of the first sensor due to the first magnetic field components are sensed. A second sensor (100) having at least one magnetoresistive element formed of GMR material on the substrate has a free layer (88) having an easy axis of effective anisotropy field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The second sensor is sensitive to second magnetic field components perpendicular to its easy axis of effective anisotropy. A current is caused to flow through the second sensor and variations in the resistivity of the second sensor due to second magnetic field components are sensed.