An in-line contact configuration for the Hall sensor device

This paper introduces a Hall sensor device with an inline contact configuration geometry, similar to the Vertical Hall Device (VHD) but unlike the latter, is sensitive to magnetic fields perpendicular to the surface of the sensor. It is fabricated using a standard 0.8µm CMOS process provided by Thai Microelectronic Center (TMEC). Measurements made of the components of magnetic fields in 3-axes (⃗B
x
, ⃗B
y
and ⃗B
z
) have shown strong responses to fields perpendicular to the ⃗B
x
plane of the sensor, but completely insensitivity to in-plane magnetic fields, ⃗B
y
and ⃗B
z
. The best current-related sensitivity reaches a maximum of 20µV/AT at an applied current of 1mA. Hall voltages are linear up to 500mT. Angular measurements performed show good angular selectivity. In-line contact configuration devices will be good potential candidates as 3D magnetic vector sensors.