RTD fluxgate: a low-power nonlinear device to sense weak magnetic fields

Fluxgate magnetometers have always been of interest to technical and scientific communities to sense weak magnetic fields (in the range of 10/sup -6/) with a resolution of 100 pT at room temperature. These devices find applicability in fields such as space, geophysical exploration and mapping, nondestructive testing, and assorted military applications. This article discusses the quantities affecting the RTD fluxgate performances, considerations on the design of an RTD fluxgate, and presents an magnetometer experimental prototype.

[1]  N. Hamasaki,et al.  Biological Immunoassay Utilizing Magnetic Marker and High Tc Superconducting Quantum Interference Device Magnetometer , 2003 .

[2]  Shoji Kawahito,et al.  A 2D CMOS microfluxgate sensor system for digital detection of weak magnetic fields , 1999 .

[3]  Willem L. De Koning,et al.  State-space analysis and identification for a class of hysteretic systems , 2001, Autom..

[4]  A R Bulsara,et al.  Signal detection via residence-time asymmetry in noisy bistable devices. , 2003, Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics.

[5]  E. Belloy,et al.  Printed circuit board integrated fluxgate sensor , 2000 .

[6]  S. Sivasubramanian,et al.  Equivalent circuit and simulations for the Landau-Khalatnikov model of ferroelectric hysteresis , 2003, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control.

[7]  R. Jahne,et al.  A miniaturized magnetic-field sensor system consisting of a planar fluxgate sensor and a CMOS readout circuitry , 1996 .

[8]  B. Ando,et al.  Effects of driving mode on RTD-fluxgate performances [magnetometers] , 2004, Proceedings of the 21st IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference (IEEE Cat. No.04CH37510).

[9]  W. Budde,et al.  A Miniaturized Magnetic Field Sensor System Consisting Of A Planar Fluxgate Sensor And A Cmos Readout Circuitry , 1995, Proceedings of the International Solid-State Sensors and Actuators Conference - TRANSDUCERS '95.

[10]  F. Primdahl.  The fluxgate mechanism, part I: The gating curves of parallel and orthogonal fluxgates , 1970 .

[11]  Pavel Ripka,et al.  PCB technology used in fluxgate sensor construction , 2004 .

[12]  B. Ando,et al.  Investigation on optimal materials selection in RTD-Fluxgate Design , 2005, 2005 IEEE Instrumentationand Measurement Technology Conference Proceedings.

[13]  B. Chakrabarti,et al.  Dynamic transitions and hysteresis , 1998, cond-mat/9811086.

[14]  Salvatore Baglio,et al.  Read-out circuit in RT-fluxgate , 2005, 2005 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems.

[15]  Radivoje Popovic,et al.  A new compact 2D planar fluxgate sensor with amorphous metal core , 2000 .

[16]  Roger Hilsen Koch,et al.  Low-noise flux-gate magnetic-field sensors using ring- and rod-core geometries , 2001 .

[17]  Roy,et al.  Scaling law for dynamical hysteresis. , 1990, Physical review letters.

[18]  Hanz Richter,et al.  Modeling Nonlinear Behavior in a Piezoelectric Actuator , 2001 .

[19]  Pavel Ripka,et al.  Magnetic sensors and magnetometers , 2002 .

[20]  Heinrich Grüger,et al.  New and future applications of fluxgate sensors , 2003 .

[21]  Radivoje Popovic,et al.  CMOS planar 2D micro-fluxgate sensor , 2000 .

[22]  P. Hauptmann.  Sensors: A Comprehensive Survey , 1996 .