EXTRAORDINARY HALL EFFECT SENSORS AND ARRAYS

An EHE magnetic sensor has an alloy of the form MxNloo-x, M being Fe, Co, Ni, or magnetic alloys that contain Fe, Co or Ni. N is from the fifth or sixth period of the periodic table. The sensor includes a layer of the alloy at a thicknesst between 30Å and 1600Å, inclusive, and voltage and sensing wires to the sensor may also be made from the same alloy. The alloy may further include a rare earth element up to 20°/0. In one embodiment, the alloy exhibits a Temperature Coefficient f 0.003 K-1 in the room temperature region. Various geometric shapes of sensors are presented including one and two-dimensional arrays of sensors for measuring spatial magnetic fields. Vias (98, 100, 102, 104) defined by a substrate (92) onto which an alloy layer (106) is disposed are filled with a conductive material in certain embodiments of arrays.