A novel 3-D Hall magnetometer using subsequent measurement method

A novel 3-D Hall instrument using subsequent measurement method for spatial magnetic-field components is presented. The magnetometer includes unique n-Si sensor region with square geometry (80 μm × 80 μm active area) and four corner planar contacts only, and interface circuitry which contains power supply and original signal extraction and conditioning unit with offset compensation. Three alternating combinations of electrodes provide information for the full magnetic vector at the same spot. A prototype generates in-plane channel sensitivity, Sx = Sy = 27 V/AT (27 mV/T at supply current 1 mA), and perpendicular-to-the-chip-surface sensitivity, Sz = 36 V/AT (36 mV/T at supply current 1 mA). The interface circuitry provides 2 mA stable supply current for the microdevice, and ensures obtaining of amplified, stable and offset-compensated output voltages in range [−5 V; 5 V] corresponding to the measured components of the magnetic field. The instrument ensures measurement of full magnetic-field vector with frequency 10,000 Hz.