Patent ID: 8659104

Claim:
A field-effect magnetic sensor comprising: first, second and third source/drain terminals in a semiconductor substrate; for each of the first and second source/drain terminals, a channel region configured and arranged to, in an unbiased state, inhibit current flow between the each of the first and second source/drain terminals and the third source/drain terminal; a drift region in the substrate and separating the respective channel regions; a gate configured and arranged to bias the channel regions to create, in the respective channel regions, an inversion layer that flows current between the third source/drain terminal and respective first or second source/drain terminals, via the drift region; and the sensor being configured and arranged to respond to a magnetic field to, when the channel region is in a biased state, pass a greater amount of current between the third source/drain terminal and one of the first and second source/drain terminals, relative to an amount of current passed between the third source/drain terminal and the other one of the first and second source/drain terminals, the channel regions being delimited by the drift region and one of the first and second source/drain terminals, and being respectively configured to affect the flow of current between the third source/drain terminal and the first and second source/drain terminals depending on whether the channel regions are in a biased state or an unbiased state.