Active induction balance method for metal detector sensing head utilizing transmitter-bucking and dual current source

A central problem in a design of frequency domain electromagnetic induction sensors used in landmine detection is an effective suppression of a direct inductive coupling between the transmitter and the receiver coil (induction balance, IB). In sensing heads based on the transmitter-bucking configuration, IB is achieved by using two concentric transmitter coils with opposing exciter fields in order to create a central magnetic cavity for the receiver coil. This design has numerous advantages over other IB methods in terms of detection sensitivity, spatial resolution, sensor dimensions and suitability for model-based measurements. However, very careful design and precise sensing head geometry are required if a single excitation source is used for driving both transmitter coils. In this paper we analyze the IB sensitivity to small perturbations of geometrical properties of coils. We propose a sensor design with dual current source and active induction balance scheme which overcomes the limitations of geometry-based balancing and potentially provides more efficient compensation of soil effects.