Magnetic sensor structure, device and system

1 . A sensor device comprising:

at least one integrated magnetic sensor structure comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

at least one magnetic flux concentrator IMC disposed on top of the semiconductor substrate, the at least one IMC having a predefined shape with an elongated portion extending in a first direction parallel to the semiconductor substrate;

at least one horizontal Hall element provided in or on the substrate, and situated under a centre of the at least one IMC;

a processing circuit connected to said at least one horizontal Hall element and configured to provide a signal or value indicative of at least one magnetic field gradient of a magnetic field ambient to the at least one integrated magnetic sensor structure,

wherein the sensor device is a current sensor device configured for measuring a magnetic field characteristic generated by a current flowing through an electrical conductor portion;

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to provide a signal or value indicative of said current, based on at least one signal obtained from the at least one horizontal Hall element.

2 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined shape is an overall beam shape having a predefined length L and a predefined width W; or

wherein the elongated portion has an overall rectangular cross section in a plane parallel to the substrate, having a predefined length L and a predefined width W.

3 . The sensor device according to claim 2 , wherein a ratio L/W of the length L and the width W is at least 3.0; or

wherein a ratio L/W of the length L and the width W is a value in the range from 3.0 to 20.0; or

wherein a ratio L/W of the length L and the width W is a value in the range from 4.0 to 10.0; or

wherein a ratio L/W of the length L and the width W is a value in the range from 5.0 to 10.0.

4 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one IMC comprises only a single IMC and the at least one horizontal hall element comprises only one horizontal Hall element situated under the centre of the single IMC; or

wherein the at least one IMC comprises a first and a second IMC, and wherein the at least one horizontal hall element comprises a first horizontal Hall element and a second horizontal Hall element, wherein the first horizontal Hall element is situated under a centre of the first IMC and the second horizontal Hall element is situated under a centre of the second IMC.

5 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one IMC is a single IMC having an elongated shaped extending over a predefined length L; and

wherein the at least one horizontal Hall element comprises a first horizontal Hall element and a second horizontal Hall element wherein the first horizontal Hall element is situated under the centre of the single IMC, and the second horizontal Hall element is situated under the single IMC and is spaced from the centre of the single IMC by a distance in a range from L*26% to L*40%.

6 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one IMC is a single IMC having an elongated shape extending over a predefined length L; and

wherein the at least one horizontal Hall element comprises a first horizontal Hall element, a second horizontal Hall element and a third horizontal Hall element, each arranged under the single IMC, and arranged such that the first horizontal Hall element is situated in a middle between the second horizontal Hall element and the third horizontal Hall element.

7 . The sensor device according to claim 6 , wherein a distance between the centre of the single IMC and the second horizontal Hall element is at least L*41% and wherein a distance between the centre of the single IMC and the third horizontal Hall element is at least L*41%; or

wherein a distance between the centre of the single IMC and the second horizontal Hall element is a distance in a range from L*26% to L*40% and wherein a distance between the centre of the single IMC and the third horizontal Hall element is a distance in a range from L*26% to L*40%.

8 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one IMC comprises a single IMC, and wherein the at least one horizontal Hall element comprises three horizontal Hall elements situated under the single IMC, including a first horizontal Hall element, a second horizontal Hall element, and a third horizontal Hall element;

wherein the processing circuit is configured for determining a current in accordance with the formula: I=K*(h 1 +h 3 −h 2 ), or in accordance with the formula I=K*(h 1 +h 3 −2*h 2 ),

where K is a predefined constant, h 1 is a signal obtained from the first horizontal Hall element, and h 3 is a signal obtained from the third horizontal Hall element, wherein the first horizontal Hall element and the third horizontal Hall element are located near ends of the single IMC, and h 2 is a signal obtained from the second horizontal Hall element located near the centre of the single IMC.

9 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one IMC comprises a first IMC and a second IMC, and the at least one horizontal Hall element comprises a first horizontal Hall element and a second horizontal Hall element,

wherein the first horizontal Hall element is situated under the centre of the first IMC, and the second horizontal Hall element is situated under a centre of the second IMC;

wherein the processing circuit is configured for determining a current in accordance with the formula: I=K*(h 2 a −h 2 b ), where K is a predefined constant, h 2 a is a signal obtained from the first horizontal Hall element, and h 2 b is a signal obtained from the second horizontal Hall element.

10 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one IMC comprises a first IMC and a second IMC;

wherein the first IMC and the second IMC are oriented in parallel, and are located on a virtual line; or

wherein the first IMC and the second IMC are oriented in parallel, and are spaced apart so as to define a virtual rectangle; or

wherein the first IMC and the second IMC are oriented perpendicular to each other, and spaced apart from each other.

11 . A current sensor system comprising:

the sensor device according to claim 1 ; and

the electrical conductor portion, said electrical conductor portion extending in a predefined direction.

12 . The current sensor system according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one IMC comprises a single IMC, and wherein the at least one horizontal Hall element comprises three horizontal Hall elements arranged under the single IMC; and

wherein the single IMC is oriented perpendicular to said predefined direction.

13 . The current sensor system according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one IMC comprises a first IMC and a second IMC, and the at least one horizontal Hall element comprises a first horizontal Hall element and a second horizontal Hall element, with the first horizontal Hall element arranged under the centre of the first IMC, and with the second horizontal Hall element arranged under a centre of the second IMC, and further arranged in one of the following ways:

i) wherein the first IMC and the second IMC are located on a virtual line, and the current sensor device is oriented such that the virtual line is oriented perpendicular to said predefined direction;

ii) wherein the first IMC and the second IMC are oriented in parallel to the predefined direction, and are spaced apart so as to define a virtual rectangle; and wherein the electrical conductor portion has a first and a second transverse cut-out; and wherein the first horizontal Hall element is situated above the first cutout, and the second horizontal Hall element is situated above the second cutout;

iii) wherein the electrical conductor portion has a U-shape comprising two legs interconnected by a bridge portion; and wherein the first IMC is oriented perpendicular to the bridge portion and the first horizontal Hall element is situated near an outer edge of the bridge portion; and wherein the second IMC is oriented parallel to the bridge portion and the second horizontal Hall element is situated between the two legs in the vicinity of an inner edge of the bridge portion.