Hybrid planar Hall-magnetoresistance sensor based on tilted cross-junction

We report a new kind of high sensitivity magnetic sensor based on a tilted cross-junction which combines both the planar Hall effect (PHE) and magnetoresistance (MR) to enhance the sensitivity and linearity of the sensor. The sensitivity of this hybrid sensor is enhanced by about 30% when the cross-junction is tilted at an angle of 45° compared with a normal cross sensor junction. In this case, a sensitivity of 9.5 νV Oe^-1 is reached. Systematic investigations on the role of PHE and MR revealed that the transverse PHE component is always constant with tilt angle variations and it dominates the linearity of the hybrid sensor whereas the longitudinal MR component was the reason for improving the sensor sensitivity. The obtained results of the tilted cross-junction were described successfully using the first order approximation of the Stoner-Wohlfarth energy term.