VERTICAL HALL EFFECT SENSOR AND BRUSHLESS ELECTRIC MOTOR WITH A VERTICAL HALL EFFECT SENSOR

摘要

A vertical Hall sensor (80) comprising a semiconductor crystal (1) with thre e or more arm sections (9, 29, 49) that are arranged at a uniform angle distan ce to each other. A central electrode (2) and external current electrodes are arranged on the surface (61) of the sensor and Hall voltage contacts (4,24,4 4) are arranged therebetween. The semi-conductor crystal (1) is thick enough fo r a current flow (13;33) to pass between the electrodes (2 and 3,23, 43) in ea ch arm section (9, 29, 49) of the semiconductor crystal (1), whereby said curre nt flow produces several sensitivities in the Hall sensor corresponding to the number of arms with a correspondingly predefined angular dependency for a magnetic field that is directed in a parallel position with respect to the surface (61). The Hall voltages which can be produced using one such multi-a rm vertical Hall sensor can be used in a reinforced and direct manner as an output signal for an electric motor.