US 12,265,139 B2
Magneto-resistive element and magnetic sensor
Masashi Kubota, Nagaokakyo (JP); and Korekiyo Ito, Nagaokakyo (JP)
Assigned to MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., Kyoto (JP)
Filed by Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Nagaokakyo (JP)
Filed on Aug. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/406,128.
Application 17/406,128 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2020/003452, filed on Jan. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-074190 (JP), filed on Apr. 9, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0382123 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. G01R 33/09 (2006.01); H10B 61/00 (2023.01); H10N 59/00 (2023.01)
CPC G01R 33/093 (2013.01) [H10B 61/00 (2023.02); H10N 59/00 (2023.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magneto-resistive element comprising:
a first element section that includes a plurality of first unit elements; and
a second element section that includes a plurality of second unit elements; wherein
the first element section is connected to the second element section in series between a supply electrode or a ground electrode and an output electrode;
each of the plurality of first unit elements includes a first reference layer and a first free layer, the first reference layer including a first film surface and having magnetization fixed in an in-plane direction of the first film surface, the first free layer including a vortex magnetization about an axis perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first film surface, the vortex magnetization including a center that moves in accordance with an external magnetic field;
each of the plurality of second unit elements includes a second reference layer and a second free layer, the second reference layer including a second film surface parallel or substantially parallel to the first film surface and including magnetization fixed in an in-plane direction of the second film surface, the second free layer including a vortex magnetization about an axis perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the second film surface, the vortex magnetization including a center that moves in accordance with the external magnetic field; and
a direction of the fixed magnetization of the first reference layer of each of the plurality of first unit elements is opposite to a direction of the fixed magnetization of the second reference layer of each of the plurality of second unit elements.
 
18. A magneto-resistive element comprising:
a first element section that includes one or more first unit elements; and
a second element section that includes one or more second unit elements; wherein
the first element section is connected to the second element section in series between a supply electrode or a ground electrode and an output electrode;
each first unit element includes a first reference layer and a first free layer, the first reference layer including a first film surface and having magnetization fixed in an in-plane direction of the first film surface, the first free layer including a vortex magnetization about an axis perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first film surface, the vortex magnetization including a center that moves in accordance with an external magnetic field;
each second unit element includes a second reference layer and a second free layer, the second reference layer including a second film surface parallel or substantially parallel to the first film surface and including magnetization fixed in an in-plane direction of the second film surface, the second free layer including a vortex magnetization about an axis perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the second film surface, the vortex magnetization including a center the moves in accordance with the external magnetic field;
a direction of the fixed magnetization of the first reference layer is opposite to a direction of the fixed magnetization of the second reference layer; and
a number of the one or more first unit elements in the first element section is different than a number of the one or more second unit elements in the second element section.