US 12,306,023 B2
Magnetic sensor with an elongated element
Keisuke Uchida, Tokyo (JP); and Kazuya Watanabe, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to TDK Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by TDK Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 23, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/585,959.
Application 18/585,959 is a continuation of application No. 17/975,131, filed on Oct. 27, 2022, granted, now 11,940,300.
Application 17/975,131 is a continuation of application No. 17/171,560, filed on Feb. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,506,514, issued on Nov. 22, 2022.
Application 17/171,560 is a continuation of application No. 16/182,744, filed on Nov. 7, 2018, granted, now 10,948,316, issued on Mar. 16, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2017-216489 (JP), filed on Nov. 9, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0192029 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01D 5/16 (2006.01); G01R 33/00 (2006.01); G01R 33/09 (2006.01)
CPC G01D 5/16 (2013.01) [G01R 33/0005 (2013.01); G01R 33/09 (2013.01); G01R 33/091 (2013.01); G01R 33/093 (2013.01); G01R 33/098 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magnetic sensor comprising: an element portion that exhibits a magnetoresistive effect;
the element portion includes a free layer whose magnetization direction is changed depending on an external magnetic field,
the free layer is non-oval and is arranged in an imaginary ellipse, wherein the imaginary ellipse has a major axis that connects both ends of the free layer with regard to a direction of a long axis thereof to each other and a minor axis that connects both ends of the free layer with regard to a direction of a short axis thereof to each other, as viewed in a direction that is perpendicular both to the short axis and to the long axis of the free layer, wherein
a width of the free layer with regard to the direction of the short axis thereof decreases from a middle position of the free layer with regard to the direction of the long axis thereof toward both ends of the free layer with regard to the direction of the long axis thereof as a distance from the middle position increases, and
a rate of a change in the width of the free layer in the direction of the long axis increases from the middle position toward the both ends of the free layer with regard to the direction of the long axis thereof as a distance from the middle position increases.