Temperature relevant performance and calibration of spin-valve sensor

Purpose It has been noted that the spin-valve sensor exhibits lower sensitivity with higher temperature because of the variation of GMR ratio, which could lead to the measurement error in applications where working temperature changes largely over seasons or times. This paper aims to investigate and compensate the temperature effect of the spin-valve sensor. Design/methodology/approach A spin-valve sensor is fabricated based on microelectronic process, and its temperature relevant properties are investigated, in which the transfer curves are acquired within a temperature range of −50°C to 125°C with a Helmholtz coil and temperature chamber. Findings It is found that the sensitivity of spin-valve sensor decreases with temperature linearly, where the temperature coefficient is calculated at −0.25 %/°C. The relationship between sensitivity of spin-valve sensor and temperature is well-modeled. Originality/value The temperature drift model of the spin-valve sensor’s sensitivity is highly correlated with tested results, which could be used to compensate the temperature influence on the sensor output. A self-compensation sensor system is proposed and built based on the expression modeled for the temperature dependence of the sensor, which exhibits a great improvement on temperature stability.