Magnetic sensor having vertical hall device

Abstract

A vertical Hall device includes: a substrate; a semiconductor region having a first conductive type and disposed in the substrate; and a magnetic field detection portion disposed in the semiconductor region. The magnetic field detection portion is capable of detecting a magnetic field parallel to a surface of the substrate in a case where a current flows through the magnetic field detection portion in a vertical direction of the substrate. The semiconductor region is a diffusion layer including a conductive impurity doped and diffused therein. The semiconductor region is made of diffusion layer so that the device has high design degree of freedom.

1 - 46 . (canceled)  
   
   
       47 . A magnetic sensor comprising: 
 a substrate; and    a plurality of Hall cells disposed in the substrate, wherein; the Hall cell includes: 
 a semiconductor region having a first conductive type and disposed in the substrate; and  
 a magnetic field detection portion disposed in the semiconductor region,  
   the magnetic field detection portion is capable of detecting a magnetic field parallel to a surface of the substrate in a case where a current flows through the magnetic field detection portion in a vertical direction of the substrate, and    the semiconductor region is a diffusion layer including a conductive impurity doped and diffused therein.    
   
   
       48 . The sensor according to  claim 47 , wherein the Hall cells are connected in series electrically.  
   
   
       49 . The sensor according to  claim 47 , wherein the Hall cells are connected in parallel electrically.  
   
   
       50 . The sensor according to  claim 47 , wherein 
 the Hall cells includes first and second Hall cells, and    the first Hall cell is disposed perpendicularly to the second Hall cell.    
   
   
       51 . The sensor according to  claim 50 , wherein 
 the first Hall cell has a rectangular shape, one side of which is slanted from a side of the substrate by 45 degrees, and    the second Hall cell has a rectangular shape, one side of which is slanted from another side of the substrate by 45 degrees.    
   
   
       52 . The sensor according to  claim 47 , wherein 
 each Hall cell has a rectangular shape, one side of which is parallel to a predetermined orientation direction of crystal.    
   
   
       53 . The sensor according to  claim 52 , wherein 
 the substrate is made of silicon, and    the predetermined orientation direction of crystal is a <001>-direction or a <010>-direction of silicon crystal axis.    
   
   
       54 . The sensor according to  claim 52 , wherein 
 the substrate is made of silicon, and    the predetermined orientation direction of crystal is a <011>-direction or a <0-11>-direction of silicon crystal axis.    
   
   
       55 . The sensor according to  claim 52 , wherein 
 the substrate is made of silicon, and    the predetermined orientation direction of crystal is a <1-11>-direction or a <11-1>-direction of silicon crystal axis.    
   
   
       56 . The sensor according to  claim 52 , wherein 
 the substrate is made of silicon, and    the predetermined orientation direction of crystal is a <1-10>-direction or a <10-1>-direction of silicon crystal axis.    
   
   
       57 . The sensor according to  claim 52 , wherein 
 the substrate is made of silicon, and    the predetermined orientation direction of crystal is a <10-1>-direction or a <01-1>-direction of silicon crystal axis.    
   
   
       58 . The sensor according to  claim 52 , wherein 
 the substrate is made of silicon, and    the predetermined orientation direction of crystal is a <10-1>-direction or a <1-10>-direction of silicon crystal axis.    
   
   
       59 . The sensor according to  claim 47 , further comprising: a trench isolation wall surrounding the Hall cells.  
   
   
       60 . The sensor according to  claim 47 , wherein 
 the Hall cells are capable of detecting different magnetic field components in different directions.    
   
   
       61 . The sensor according to  claim 47 , further comprising a lateral type Hall cell, wherein 
 the Hall cells includes first and second vertical Hall cells,    the lateral type Hall cell is capable of detecting a magnetic field component perpendicular to the surface of the substrate,    the first and the second vertical Hall cells are capable of detecting two magnetic field components parallel to the surface of the substrate, and    one magnetic field component to be detected by the first vertical Hall cell is perpendicular to the other magnetic field component to be detected by the second vertical Hall cell.    
   
   
       62 . The sensor according to  claim 47 , further comprising a signal processing circuit for processing a Hall voltage signal outputted from the Hall cells, wherein 
 the signal processing circuit is disposed on the substrate so that the Hall cells and the signal processing circuit are integrated into one chip.    
   
   
       63 . The sensor according to  claim 62 , wherein 
 the signal processing circuit provides a CMOS circuit as a periphery circuit.    
   
   
       64 - 71 . (canceled)