Patent ID: 7268545
Filing Date: 2007-09-11
Classification: B82Y,G01C,G01R,H01L

Abstract:
1. A magnetic sensor which comprises a plurality of magnetoresistive elements formed on an upper surface of a layer superposed on a substrate, and a plurality of heat generating elements adapted to generate heat when electrically energized, and which, on the basis of resistance values of said plurality of magnetoresistive elements, generates an output value corresponding to an external magnetic field acting on said magnetoresistive elements, characterized in that said plurality of heat generating elements are arranged and configured in such a way that, when each of said plurality of heat generating elements generates a quantity of heat approximately equal to the quantity of heat generated by any one of the remaining heat generating elements, temperatures of said plurality magnetoresistive elements become approximately equal to one another, and the temperature of the upper surface of said layer on which said plurality of magnetoresistive elements are formed becomes nonuniform, wherein said plurality of magnetoresistive elements are arranged to form a plurality of island-like element groups, each including a plurality of magnetoresistive elements which are identical in magnetic field detecting direction and arranged adjacent to each other on the upper surface of said layer; and said heat generating elements are formed such that one is located above or beneath each element group.