Patent ID: 7265540
Filing Date: 2007-09-04
Classification: G01D

Abstract:
1. An angle sensor comprising: a magnetoresistive element that includes a pinned magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction and a free magnetic layer having a magnetization direction that varies in proportion to an external magnetic field; a substrate for supporting the magnetoresistive element; and a rotor that forms a magnetic field and faces the magnetoresistive element, wherein the magnetoresistive element includes an X-axis array in an X-axis direction being the width direction of the substrate and a Y-axis array in a Y-axis direction being the depth direction of the substrate, the X-axis array including a plurality of segments that extend in the X-axis direction and are spaced at a predetermined interval in the Y-axis direction, the predetermined interval being shorter than the length of the X-axis segments, ends of adjacent X-axis segments being connected so as to form a single meandering structure, the Y-axis array including a plurality of segments that extend in the Y-axis direction and are spaced at a predetermined interval in the X-axis direction, the predetermined interval being shorter than the length of the Y-axis segments, ends of adjacent Y-axis segments being connected so as to form a single meandering structure, and the magnetoresistive element has a single continuous structure in which the X-axis array and the Y-axis array are connected to each other at their ends, and wherein the X-axis segments and the Y-axis segments have a width of 20 μm or more, and the ratio of length to width is less than 11.