Pressure sensor

Abstract

A pressure sensor according to an embodiment includes: a support member; a membrane supported by the support and having flexibility; and a strain detection element formed on the membrane. The strain detection element includes a first magnetic layer formed on the membrane and having a magnetization, a second magnetic layer having a magnetization, and an intermediate layer formed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. A direction of at least one of the magnetization of the first magnetic layer and the magnetization of the second magnetic layer changes relatively to that of the other depending on a strain of the membrane. Moreover, the membrane includes an oxide layer that includes aluminum.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A pressure sensor, comprising:
 a support member including silicon;   a membrane supported by the support member, the membrane being flexible, the membrane including a first film and a second film, the first film including a first oxide including aluminum, the first film including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion overlapping the support member in a first direction, the second portion not overlapping the support member in the first direction, the first portion being provided between the second film and the support member; and   a strain detection element provided at the membrane at a part of the second portion, the strain detection element including
 a first magnetic layer, 
 a second magnetic layer apart from the first magnetic layer in the first direction, and 
 an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, 
   an electrical resistance of the strain detection element being configured to change depending on a strain of the membrane.   
     
     
         20 . The pressure sensor according to  claim 19 , wherein the membrane further includes a third film, and
 the second film is provided between the first film and the third film.   
     
     
         21 . The pressure sensor according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the second film includes SiNx, And   the third film includes a second oxide including aluminum.   
     
     
         22 . The pressure sensor according to  claim 19 , wherein the first film is amorphous. 
     
     
         23 . The pressure sensor according to  claim 19 , wherein the first film directly contacts the support member. 
     
     
         24 . The pressure sensor according to  claim 19 , wherein
 a line segment extending along an extending direction and joining a centroid of the membrane and the strain detection element passes a point of a boundary between the first portion and the second portion, and   a position of the strain detection element along the extending direction is located between a position of a central point of the line segment along the extending direction and a position of the boundary along the extending direction.   
     
     
         25 . The pressure sensor according to  claim 19 , wherein  20  or more strain detection elements are disposed on the membrane. 
     
     
         26 . The pressure sensor according to of  claim 19 , wherein the membrane has a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         27 . The pressure sensor according to  claim 19 , wherein a minimum circumscribed rectangle that circumscribes a shape of the membrane includes:
 a first side;   a second side separated from the first side;   a third side connected to one end of the first side and one end of the second side;   a fourth side connected to the other end of the first side and the other end of the second side; and   a centroid of the minimum circumscribed rectangle,   the strain detection element is provided in a plurality,   the strain detection elements are disposed on the membrane, and aligned in parallel to the first side, and   the strain detection elements are disposed on an area on the membrane that overlaps a region configured from the first side and line segments joining both ends of the first side and the centroid of the minimum circumscribed rectangle.   
     
     
         28 . The pressure sensor according to  claim 19 , wherein a hard magnetic body is further adjacent to a periphery of the strain detection element disposed on the membrane. 
     
     
         29 . The pressure sensor according to  claim 28 , wherein the hard magnetic body includes at least one of CoPt or FePt. 
     
     
         30 . The pressure sensor according to  claim 19 , wherein the strain detection element is buried by a layer of an oxide including aluminum showing insulation properties.