Patent ID: 8564287

Claim:
A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor arrangement, comprising: an MR sensor and an integrated circuit formed on a same semiconductor wafer; a metal layer which is patterned to define at least first and second contact regions and an interconnect region; a plurality of first metal connecting plugs extending down from the first and second contact regions of the metal layer to terminals of the integrated circuit; a magnetoresistive material layer above the metal layer and separated from the metal layer by a dielectric layer, which defines an MR element arrangement having first and second MR elements, each element including first and second ends on laterally opposing sides of the MR element; and a plurality of second metal connecting plugs including a metal connecting plug extending up from the first contact of the metal layer to the first end of the first MR element, a metal connecting plug extending up from the second contact region of the metal layer to the first end of the second MR element, and respective metal connecting plugs extending from the interconnect region to the second ends of the first and second MR elements.