US3737740A - Solid-state magneto electrical transducer - Google Patents
Solid-state magneto electrical transducer Download PDFInfo
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- US3737740A US3737740A US00196821A US3737740DA US3737740A US 3737740 A US3737740 A US 3737740A US 00196821 A US00196821 A US 00196821A US 3737740D A US3737740D A US 3737740DA US 3737740 A US3737740 A US 3737740A
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- electrical transducer
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- 230000005291 magnetic effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 claims description 11
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000000615 nonconductor Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 abstract description 12
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 6
- 239000012212 insulator Substances 0.000 description 5
- XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicon Chemical compound [Si] XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000010931 gold Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229910052737 gold Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000010703 silicon Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 4
- 235000014676 Phragmites communis Nutrition 0.000 description 3
- 230000002950 deficient Effects 0.000 description 3
- PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N gold Chemical compound [Au] PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 230000035945 sensitivity Effects 0.000 description 3
- 229910001218 Gallium arsenide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 229910052732 germanium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 101100264195 Caenorhabditis elegans app-1 gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 229910005540 GaP Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910005542 GaSb Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Hydrogen Chemical compound [H][H] UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052787 antimony Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- WATWJIUSRGPENY-UHFFFAOYSA-N antimony atom Chemical compound [Sb] WATWJIUSRGPENY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052980 cadmium sulfide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003302 ferromagnetic material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011261 inert gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052742 iron Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000696 magnetic material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005389 magnetism Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052748 manganese Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052759 nickel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000007747 plating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004043 responsiveness Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching and having potential barriers; Capacitors or resistors having potential barriers, e.g. a PN-junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N35/00—Magnetostrictive devices
Definitions
- ABSTRACT A solid-state mechano-electrical transducer having means which is subject to a mechanical displacement when a magnetic force is applied and a solid-state element which converts the mechanical displacement into a variation in electrical quantity.
- This invention relates to a solid-state device having means which is subject to a mechanical displacement in response to application of a magnetic force thereto and means for converting the mechanical displacement into a variation in electrical quantity.
- An electromagnetic relay for example, comprises an electromagnet which is operative to open or close electrical contacts thereby opening or closing an associated circuit.
- the electromagnetic relay having such incessantly opened and closed electrical contacts is defective in that the function of the electrical contacts is quickly deteriorated due to are discharge and other causes.
- a device which is called a reed relay is another typical example of the conventional transducers of the kind described above.
- the reed relay comprises two thin strips of ferromagnetic material enclosed in a very slightly spaced relation within a glass tube containing an inert gas and is operative in such a way that application of a magnetic field brings the thin strips into contact with each other thereby opening or closing an associated circuit.
- the reed relay as well as the electromagnetic relay thus having the function of opening or closing the spaced electrical contacts in response to energization by a magnetic force is defective in that its size becomes inevitably large.
- Transducers employing a solid-state element such as a transistor or Esak i diode so that a mechanical displacement developed at the junction due to application of a magnetic force can be converted into a variation in an electrical quantity area further typical example of the conventional devices of the kind described above.
- these transducers are defective in that their sensitivity is quite poor and a large mechanical displacement is generally required in order to produce an appreciable variation in the electrical quantity.
- FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the solid-state mechano-electrical transducer according to the present invention.
- the solidstate mechano-electrical transducer can find its useful applications in automatic control circuits, logic circuits, switches and other systems.
- the solid-state element 1 which is an important component of the present invention will be described in detail.
- the solid-state element 1 in accordance with the present invention is made by preparing a solid having a forbidden band such as a semiconductor or electrical insulator, introducing into the solid an impurity which forms a deep energy level within the forbidden band of the solid, and providing at least two electrical connections on the solid.
- the semiconductor described above may be any one of the known semiconductors including Ge, Si, GaAs, GaSb, GaP, CdS, Se, Cu O and PbO, while the insulator may be any one of the known insulators including BaTiO TiO and SiO.
- An impurity forming-a deep energy level is introduced into these semiconductors and insulators, but a suitable impurity must be selected depending on a specific semiconductor or insulator. For instance, an impurity such as Au, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni or C0 is suitable for use when the semiconductor is Ge or Si, while an impurity such as Cu or 0 is suitable for use when the semiconductor is GaAs.
- the electrical connections may be either ohmic contacts or P-N junctions, but the sensitivity is better in the case of P-N junctions.
- N-type silicon having a specific resistance of 10 ohm cm is employed as the semiconductor and gold is diffused into the silicon as impurity.
- the amount of gold actually diffused into the silicon is controlled by the amount of plating, diffusion temperature, duration of diffusion and other factors. It is especially preferable to effect the diffusion in a hydrogen gas atmosphere in accordance with the method conventionally known in the art.
- Gold containing 0.8 percent by weight antimony is then deposited on the silicon substrate to provide alloy electrodes thereby to obtain the solid-state element 1.
- the energizing coil 4 and the magnetic blocks 3 and 3 forming the pressure imparting means of the transducer may be conventional energizing parts of a common electromagnetic relay.
- One of the magnetic blocks is fixed to the base 5 and the solid-state element 1 is interposed between the magnetic blocks 3 and 3 to constitute the transducer of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.
- FIG. 2 shows the electrical characteristic of the transducer according to the present invention, wherein the abscissa represents the energizing current in milliamperes and the ordinate represents the resistance value of the solid-state element in ohms. It will be apparent from FIG. 2 that the resistance value of the solid-state element decreases as the energizing current increases. In this connection, it will be understood that there are various other ways of impartation of the pressure by the utilization of magnetism and alternating current may be used depending on the way of pressure impartation.
- the solid-state mechano-electrical transducer according to .the present invention which utilizes a magnetic force for the conversion of a mechanical displacement into a variation in an electrical quantity is advan tageous over conventional transducers in its contactless structure, small size and good responsiveness and thus finds useful applications in automatic control circuits, logic circuits, switches and other systems.
- a solid-state electro-mechanical transducer sensitive to a magnetic field comprising a solid-state element having the shape of a disk and made of a material having a forbidden band, said element containing an impurity forming a deep energy level in said forbidden band, a pair of electrodes connected to said element at positions remote from each other, and two cylindrical members of magnetizable material disposed on opposite surfaces of said element, and means for magnetizing said two members, wherein said members, when magnetized, cooperate to exert a compressive force on said element.
- a solid-state transducer in which said element is a semiconductor.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
- Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
- Micromachines (AREA)
Abstract
A solid-state mechano-electrical transducer having means which is subject to a mechanical displacement when a magnetic force is applied and a solid-state element which converts the mechanical displacement into a variation in electrical quantity.
Description
United States Patent 1 Yamada et al.
SOLID-STATE MAGNETO ELECTRICAL TRANSDUCER Inventors: Tadashi Yamada, Suita; Akio Y Yamashita, Ikeda; Masaru Tanaka, Toyonaka; Takehiro Tsuzaki, Osaka; Takashi Fujita, Toyonaka,
all of Japan Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Kadoma-shi, Osaka, Japan Filed: Nov. 8, 1971 App1.No.: 196,821
Related U.S. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 748,991, July 31, 1968, abandoned.
Assignee:
U.S. Cl ..317/235 R, 317/235 M, 317/235 H,
307/308, l79/l00.4l Int. Cl. ..H0ll 11/00, H011 15/00 Field of Search ..3l7/235-, 26, 23,.
317/234, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4; 307/308; 73/8855 D; l79/100.4l
Primary ExaminerJohn W. Huckert Assistant Examiner-Andrew J. James Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [57] ABSTRACT A solid-state mechano-electrical transducer having means which is subject to a mechanical displacement when a magnetic force is applied and a solid-state element which converts the mechanical displacement into a variation in electrical quantity.
3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJUH 5 ma 2' 3 E/VERG/Z/NG CURRENT (mA) Sv N R M mam M V 13 W 3 M0, M
/ ATTORNEY$ SOLID-STATE MAGNETO ELECTRICAL TRANSDUCER This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 748,991, filed July 31, 1968 abandoned.
This invention relates to a solid-state device having means which is subject to a mechanical displacement in response to application of a magnetic force thereto and means for converting the mechanical displacement into a variation in electrical quantity.
Conventional devices having means which is subject to a mechanical displacement in response to application thereto of a magnetic force and means for converting the mechanical displacement into a variation in electrical quantity include electromagnetic relays and the like. An electromagnetic relay, for example, comprises an electromagnet which is operative to open or close electrical contacts thereby opening or closing an associated circuit. The electromagnetic relay having such incessantly opened and closed electrical contacts is defective in that the function of the electrical contacts is quickly deteriorated due to are discharge and other causes. I
A device which is called a reed relay is another typical example of the conventional transducers of the kind described above. The reed relay comprises two thin strips of ferromagnetic material enclosed in a very slightly spaced relation within a glass tube containing an inert gas and is operative in such a way that application of a magnetic field brings the thin strips into contact with each other thereby opening or closing an associated circuit. The reed relay as well as the electromagnetic relay thus having the function of opening or closing the spaced electrical contacts in response to energization by a magnetic force is defective in that its size becomes inevitably large.
Transducers employing a solid-state element such as a transistor or Esak i diode so that a mechanical displacement developed at the junction due to application of a magnetic force can be converted into a variation in an electrical quantity area further typical example of the conventional devices of the kind described above. However, these transducers are defective in that their sensitivity is quite poor and a large mechanical displacement is generally required in order to produce an appreciable variation in the electrical quantity.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel solid-state mechano-electrical transducer which differs in its operating principle from that of the conventional devices described above and which is of a contactless structure, small in size and yet has a very high sensitivity. More precisely, the present invention contemplates the provision of a solid-state mechano-electrical transducer having means which is subject to a mechanical displacement in response to application thereto of a magnetic force and a solid-state element whose resistance value is variable depending on a pressure imparted thereto.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the solid-state mechano-electrical transducer according to the present invention; and
0 electrical connections 2 and 2' provided adjacent to opposite ends of the solid-state element 1 for connection with lead wires, blocks 3 and 3' of magnetic material of cubic or like shape disposed above and beneath the solid-state element 1 in contact therewith, a cylindrical energizing coil 4 surrounding the magnetic blocks 3 and 3, and a base 5 on which the above elements are firmly mounted.
When now the magnetic blocks 3 and 3' are magnetized by the energizing coil 4, a pressure is imparted to the solid-state element 1 which is interposed between the magnetic blocks 3 and 3', and as a result, the resistance value of the solid-state element 1 is varied in inverse proportion to the pressure imparted thereto. Because of the above operating characteristic, the solidstate mechano-electrical transducer can find its useful applications in automatic control circuits, logic circuits, switches and other systems.
The solid-state element 1 which is an important component of the present invention will be described in detail.
The solid-state element 1 in accordance with the present invention is made by preparing a solid having a forbidden band such as a semiconductor or electrical insulator, introducing into the solid an impurity which forms a deep energy level within the forbidden band of the solid, and providing at least two electrical connections on the solid. The semiconductor described above may be any one of the known semiconductors including Ge, Si, GaAs, GaSb, GaP, CdS, Se, Cu O and PbO, while the insulator may be any one of the known insulators including BaTiO TiO and SiO. An impurity forming-a deep energy level is introduced into these semiconductors and insulators, but a suitable impurity must be selected depending on a specific semiconductor or insulator. For instance, an impurity such as Au, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni or C0 is suitable for use when the semiconductor is Ge or Si, while an impurity such as Cu or 0 is suitable for use when the semiconductor is GaAs.
These impurities are added to the semiconductors and insulators by doping, diffusion on a similar method well-known in the art. The electrical connections may be either ohmic contacts or P-N junctions, but the sensitivity is better in the case of P-N junctions.
In the practical structure of the solid-state mechanoelectrical transducer embodying the present invention, N-type silicon having a specific resistance of 10 ohm cm is employed as the semiconductor and gold is diffused into the silicon as impurity. The amount of gold actually diffused into the silicon is controlled by the amount of plating, diffusion temperature, duration of diffusion and other factors. It is especially preferable to effect the diffusion in a hydrogen gas atmosphere in accordance with the method conventionally known in the art. Gold containing 0.8 percent by weight antimony is then deposited on the silicon substrate to provide alloy electrodes thereby to obtain the solid-state element 1. The energizing coil 4 and the magnetic blocks 3 and 3 forming the pressure imparting means of the transducer may be conventional energizing parts of a common electromagnetic relay.
One of the magnetic blocks is fixed to the base 5 and the solid-state element 1 is interposed between the magnetic blocks 3 and 3 to constitute the transducer of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 shows the electrical characteristic of the transducer according to the present invention, wherein the abscissa represents the energizing current in milliamperes and the ordinate represents the resistance value of the solid-state element in ohms. It will be apparent from FIG. 2 that the resistance value of the solid-state element decreases as the energizing current increases. In this connection, it will be understood that there are various other ways of impartation of the pressure by the utilization of magnetism and alternating current may be used depending on the way of pressure impartation.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the solid-state mechano-electrical transducer according to .the present inventionwhich utilizes a magnetic force for the conversion of a mechanical displacement into a variation in an electrical quantity is advan tageous over conventional transducers in its contactless structure, small size and good responsiveness and thus finds useful applications in automatic control circuits, logic circuits, switches and other systems.
What is claimed is:
l. A solid-state electro-mechanical transducer sensitive to a magnetic field, said transducer comprising a solid-state element having the shape of a disk and made of a material having a forbidden band, said element containing an impurity forming a deep energy level in said forbidden band, a pair of electrodes connected to said element at positions remote from each other, and two cylindrical members of magnetizable material disposed on opposite surfaces of said element, and means for magnetizing said two members, wherein said members, when magnetized, cooperate to exert a compressive force on said element.
2. A solid-state transducer according to claim 1, in which said element is a semiconductor.
3. A solid-state transducer according to'claim l, in
which said element is an electrical insulator.
Claims (3)
1. A solid-state electro-mechanical transducer sensitive to a magnetic field, said transducer comprising a solid-state element having the shape of a disk and made of a material having a forbidden band, said element containing an impurity forming a deep energy level in said forbidden band, a pair of electrodes connected to said element at positions remote from each other, and two cylindrical members of magnetizable material disposed on opposite surfaces of said element, and means for magnetizing said two members, wherein said members, when magnetized, cooperate to exert a compressive force on said element.
2. A solid-state transducer according to claim 1, in which said element is a semiconductor.
3. A solid-state transducer according to claim 1, in which said element is an electrical insulator.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US19682171A | 1971-11-08 | 1971-11-08 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| US3737740A true US3737740A (en) | 1973-06-05 |
Family
ID=22726912
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| US00196821A Expired - Lifetime US3737740A (en) | 1971-11-08 | 1971-11-08 | Solid-state magneto electrical transducer |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US3737740A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20030130903A1 (en) * | 1999-05-25 | 2003-07-10 | Kia Silverbrook | Method and system for online purchasing using processing sensor |
| US6600202B1 (en) * | 1991-05-22 | 2003-07-29 | Wolff Controls Corporation | Compact sensing apparatus having reduced cross section and methods of mounting same |
Citations (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3132408A (en) * | 1962-01-18 | 1964-05-12 | Gen Electric | Method of making semiconductor strain sensitive devices |
| US3160762A (en) * | 1960-04-21 | 1964-12-08 | Rca Corp | Hall effect device employing mechanical stress applied across crystal to effect change in hall voltage |
| US3277405A (en) * | 1963-09-30 | 1966-10-04 | Raytheon Co | Strain filter utilizing semiconductor device in mechanical oscillation |
| US3283271A (en) * | 1963-09-30 | 1966-11-01 | Raytheon Co | Notched semiconductor junction strain transducer |
| GB1055418A (en) * | 1964-11-12 | 1967-01-18 | Standard Telephones Cables Ltd | Improvements in or relating to electro-mechanical transducers |
| US3389230A (en) * | 1967-01-06 | 1968-06-18 | Hudson Magiston Corp | Semiconductive magnetic transducer |
| US3522390A (en) * | 1965-04-12 | 1970-07-28 | Harry H Wieder | Magnetoresistive transducer having microscopic hall field shorting |
-
1971
- 1971-11-08 US US00196821A patent/US3737740A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3160762A (en) * | 1960-04-21 | 1964-12-08 | Rca Corp | Hall effect device employing mechanical stress applied across crystal to effect change in hall voltage |
| US3132408A (en) * | 1962-01-18 | 1964-05-12 | Gen Electric | Method of making semiconductor strain sensitive devices |
| US3277405A (en) * | 1963-09-30 | 1966-10-04 | Raytheon Co | Strain filter utilizing semiconductor device in mechanical oscillation |
| US3283271A (en) * | 1963-09-30 | 1966-11-01 | Raytheon Co | Notched semiconductor junction strain transducer |
| GB1055418A (en) * | 1964-11-12 | 1967-01-18 | Standard Telephones Cables Ltd | Improvements in or relating to electro-mechanical transducers |
| US3522390A (en) * | 1965-04-12 | 1970-07-28 | Harry H Wieder | Magnetoresistive transducer having microscopic hall field shorting |
| US3389230A (en) * | 1967-01-06 | 1968-06-18 | Hudson Magiston Corp | Semiconductive magnetic transducer |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6600202B1 (en) * | 1991-05-22 | 2003-07-29 | Wolff Controls Corporation | Compact sensing apparatus having reduced cross section and methods of mounting same |
| US20030130903A1 (en) * | 1999-05-25 | 2003-07-10 | Kia Silverbrook | Method and system for online purchasing using processing sensor |
| US7590561B2 (en) * | 1999-05-25 | 2009-09-15 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Method and system for online purchasing using processing sensor |
| US20090302107A1 (en) * | 1999-05-25 | 2009-12-10 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Method For Online Purchasing Using Printed Form |
| US8010414B2 (en) | 1999-05-25 | 2011-08-30 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Method for online purchasing using printed form |
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