Magnetoresistive-superconducting mixed sensors for biomagnetic applications

Abstract When coupled to a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor, a superconducting loop containing a constriction can be a very sensitive magnetometer. It has thermal noise levels of few fT/sqrt(Hz), comparable to low-Tc SQUID noise, with a flat frequency response. These mixed sensors are good candidates for detection of weak biomagnetic signals, like a cardiac or neuronal signature. Furthermore, being sensitive to the flux, mixed sensors can be used for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) especially at low fields. They are very robust and accept strong RF pulses with a very short recovery time compared to tuned RF coils, which allow measurements of broad signals (short relaxation time or multiple resonances). We will first present the last generation sensors having a noise level of 3 fT/sqrt(Hz) and we will show signals measured at low frequency (magnetocardiography–magnetoencephalography range) and at higher frequency (NMR signals). The use of additional flux transformers for improving the signal-to-noise will be discussed. Finally, we will present perspectives for low-field MRI, which can be combined with neural signal detection (MEG), especially for brain anatomy and temporal response on the same experimental setup.