Method of manufacturing angle sensors including magnetoresistance elements including different types of antiferromagnetic materials
In one aspect, manufacturing a magnetic-field angle sensor includes heating, to a first temperature, a substrate, which includes heating a first magnetoresistance (MR) element including a first type of antiferromagnetic material having a first Néel temperature and a first magnetization direction and heating a second MR element including a second type of antiferromagnetic material having a second Néel temperature and a second magnetization direction. The manufacturing also includes, after heating the substrate to the first temperature, applying a first magnetic field to the substrate in an x-direction to enable a first magnetization direction and a second magnetization direction to be in the x-direction, enabling a temperature of the substrate to be a second temperature and applying a second magnetic field to the substrate in a y-direction to enable the second magnetization direction to be in the y-direction while the first magnetization direction remains in the x-direction.
1. A method, comprising:
manufacturing a magnetic-field angle sensor comprising:
heating, to a first temperature, a substrate comprising:
heating a first magnetoresistance (MR) element comprising a first type of antiferromagnetic material having a first Néel temperature and a first magnetization direction;
heating a second MR element comprising a second type of antiferromagnetic material having a second Néel temperature and a second magnetization direction, wherein the first Néel temperature is greater than the second Néel temperature, wherein the first temperature is greater than the first Néel temperature;
after heating the substrate to the first temperature, applying a first magnetic field to the substrate in an x-direction to enable the first magnetization direction and the second magnetization direction to be in the x-direction;
cooling the substrate to a temperature less than the first Néel temperature while applying the first magnetic field;
enabling a temperature of the substrate to be a second temperature after ceasing to apply the first magnetic field, wherein the second temperature is less than the first Néel temperature and greater than the second Néel temperature; and
applying a second magnetic field to the substrate in a y-direction to enable the second magnetization direction to be in the y-direction,
wherein the heating, to the first temperature, further comprises heating a third MR element comprising a third type of antiferromagnetic material having a third Néel temperature and a third magnetization direction, wherein the second Néel temperature is greater than the third Néel temperature.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing further comprises cooling the substrate to a temperature less than the second Néel temperature while applying the second magnetic field.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing further comprises ceasing to apply the second magnetic field.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the first magnetic field to the substrate in the x-direction to enable the first magnetization direction and the second magnetization direction to be in the x-direction comprises applying the first magnetic field to the substrate in the x-direction to enable the first magnetization direction, the second magnetization direction and the third magnetization direction to be in the x-direction.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein applying the second magnetic field to the substrate in the y-direction to enable the second magnetization direction to be in the y-direction comprises applying the second magnetic field to the substrate in the y-direction to enable the second magnetization direction and the third magnetization direction to be in the y-direction.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the manufacturing further comprises:
cooling the substrate to a temperature less than the second Néel temperature while applying the second magnetic field;
ceasing to apply the second magnetic field;
enabling a temperature of the substrate to be a third temperature after ceasing to apply the second magnetic field, wherein the third temperature is less than the second Néel temperature and greater than the third Néel temperature; and
applying a third magnetic field to the substrate in a z-direction to enable the third magnetization direction to be in the z-direction.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the manufacturing further comprises:
forming an x-bridge using the first MR element;
forming a y-bridge using the second MR element; and
forming a z-bridge using the third MR element.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first MR element is a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) element and/or a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) element,
wherein the second MR element is a GMR element and/or a TMR element, and
wherein the third MR element is a GMR element and/or a TMR element.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the MR elements of the x-bridge, the y-bridge and the z-bridge are GMR elements and/or TMR elements.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing further comprises:
forming an x-bridge using the first MR element; and
forming a y-bridge using the second MR element.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first MR element is a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) element and/or a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) element, and
wherein the second MR element is a GMR element and/or a TMR element.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the MR elements of the x-bridge and the y-bridge are GMR elements and/or TMR elements.
13. A method, comprising:
manufacturing a magnetic-field angle sensor comprising:
heating, to a first temperature, a substrate comprising:
heating a first magnetoresistance (MR) element comprising a first type of antiferromagnetic material having a first blocking temperature and a first magnetization direction;
heating a second MR element comprising a second type of antiferromagnetic material having a second blocking temperature and a second magnetization direction, wherein the first blocking temperature is greater than the second blocking temperature, wherein the first temperature is greater than the first blocking temperature;
after heating the substrate to the first temperature, applying a first magnetic field to the substrate in an x-direction to enable the first magnetization direction and the second magnetization direction to be in the x-direction;
cooling the substrate to a temperature less than the first blocking temperature while applying the first magnetic field;
enabling a temperature of the substrate to be a second temperature after ceasing to apply the first magnetic field, wherein the second temperature is less than the first blocking temperature and greater than the second blocking temperature; and
applying a second magnetic field to the substrate in a y-direction to enable the second magnetization direction to be in the y-direction,
wherein the heating, to the first temperature, further comprises heating a third MR element comprising a third type of antiferromagnetic material having a third blocking temperature and a third magnetization direction, wherein the second blocking temperature is greater than the third blocking temperature,
wherein applying the first magnetic field to the substrate in the x-direction to enable the first magnetization direction and the second magnetization direction to be in the x-direction comprises applying the first magnetic field to the substrate in the x-direction to enable the first magnetization direction, the second magnetization direction and the third magnetization direction to be in the x-direction, and
wherein applying the second magnetic field to the substrate in the y-direction to enable the second magnetization direction to be in the y-direction comprises applying the second magnetic field to the substrate in the y-direction to enable the second magnetization direction and the third magnetization direction to be in the y-direction.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the manufacturing further comprises cooling the substrate to a temperature less than the second blocking temperature while applying the second magnetic field.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the manufacturing further comprises ceasing to apply the second magnetic field.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the manufacturing further comprises:
cooling the substrate to a temperature less than the second blocking temperature while applying the second magnetic field;
ceasing to apply the second magnetic field;
enabling a temperature of the substrate to be a third temperature after ceasing to apply the second magnetic field, wherein the third temperature is less than the second blocking temperature and greater than the third blocking temperature; and
applying a third magnetic field to the substrate in a z-direction to enable the third magnetization direction to be in the z-direction.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the manufacturing further comprises:
forming an x-bridge using the first MR element;
forming a y-bridge using the second MR element; and
forming a z-bridge using the third MR element.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first MR element is a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) element and/or a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) element,
wherein the second MR element is a GMR element and/or a TMR element, and
wherein the third MR element is a GMR element and/or a TMR element.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the MR elements of x-bridge, the y-bridge and the z-bridge are GMR elements and/or TMR elements.
20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the manufacturing further comprises:
forming an x-bridge using the first MR element; and
forming a y-bridge using the second MR element.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first MR element is a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) element and/or a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) element, and
wherein the second MR element is a GMR element and/or a TMR element.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the MR elements of the x-bridge and the y-bridge are GMR elements and/or TMR elements.