Direction finding of moving ferromagnetic objects inside water by magnetic anomaly

The remote sensing methods by the use of magnetic anomaly are gaining importance in applications of defense technologies and industrial purposes recently. In this study, it is aimed to determine the remote detection, the variation of characteristic of the voltage in the sensor relative to the motion, the effects of material length, magnetic permeability and direction of motion of the object on this characteristic and to convert them to a useful mathematical expression by using magnetic anomaly of ferromagnetic objects such as submarines moving inside water. For this purpose, first of all, a water tank of 1 m³ is prepared and approximately a homogeneous magnetic field of 10⁻³ T is created within this water tank. Ferromagnetic materials with six different lengths and permeabilities are moved in three different directions relative to the position of the sensor by means of a computer controlled x–y scanner designed for this experiment inside this magnetic field. The magnetic change caused by this motion at the point where the sensor is positioned is detected as the output voltage of the sensor. A mathematical expression is formulated taken into account the variations of the sensor output voltage with respect to the length, magnetic permeability and the direction of motion of the material and it is validated by the experimental results. This study clearly shows that the existence and the direction of motions of ferromagnetic objects with different lengths and magnetic permeabilities inside water can be detected with high accuracy.     

Multilayer high-aspect-ratio RF coil for NMR applications

Microcoils offer a high degree of mass sensitivity and high magnetic field gradient strength in magnetic resonance microscopy applications. This paper presents a novel multilayer high-aspect-ratio metal fabrication process that can be used to fabricate a nanoliter-volume radio frequency (RF) saddle coil with an embedded flow-through fluidic channel for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) applications. The fabrication process is based on repeated electroplating processes and structure release processes. The achieved aspect ratio of the developed RF saddle coil is 4 with a structure line width of 25 μm. The resistance of the RF coil and the ¹H spectrum line width have been measured and are found to be 0.7 Ω and 350 Hz, respectively. Our results indicate that this novel fabrication process for RF microcoils is feasible for NMR applications.     

MEMS micro fluxgate sensors with mutual vertical excitation coils and detection coils

As a classic Earth magnetic field sensor, fluxgate magnetic sensors have great potential applications in many fields. This paper presents a new 3D micro-solenoid fluxgate magnetic sensor based on the MEMS technique. The excitation coils were placed vertically to the detection coils on the chip plane, around a rectangular shaped magnetic core. Polyimide was used to insulate coils and magnetic core. Width of copper conductor lines is 50 μm, and line space is 50 μm. The design of such fluxgate magnetic sensor followed second harmonic signal selecting method. Phase-lock amplifier was used to get second harmonic signal output by detection coils. The linear range of 0–80 μT with sensitivity of 6.7 V/T was achieved from the fabricated sensor with excitation current of 430 mA and the operational frequency of 40 KHz. As the excitation current was 470 mA, linear range of 0–50 μT with sensitivity of 21.7 V/T was achieved.     

Design, fabrication and analysis of micromachined high sensitivity and 0% cross-axis sensitivity capacitive accelerometers

This paper presents the design and fabrication of three MEMS based capacitive accelerometers. The first design illustrates the achievement of an accelerometer with 0% cross-axis sensitivity and has been fabricated using PolyMUMPs, a multi-user surface-micromachining process. A unidirectional parallel plate configuration is utilized in this design to illustrate the achievement of 0% cross-axis sensitivity and an acceptable performance range. In addition, a method is introduced to improve the sensitivity of a capacitive sensor employing a transverse configuration based on the relationship of initial gaps setup in comb-finger arrangements. A design based on this technique and the PolyMUMPs fabrication process is illustrated which demonstrates a sensitivity value of 4.07 fF/μm, with a nonlinearity of 2.05% for a ±3 μm sensor operating range. The last design based on this method and the SOIMUMPs fabrication process exhibits a sensitivity of 3.45 pF/μm for ±1 μm operating range of the sensor.     

Customized trapping of magnetic particles

This paper presents an efficient technique for trapping of magnetic particles in confined spatial locations using customized designs of micro-coils (MCs). Large magnetic field gradients of up to 20 T/mm and large magnetic forces in the range of 10⁻⁸ Newton on magnetic particles with diameter of 1 μm have been achieved using MCs with several planar geometrical configurations. A large magnetic field gradient is generated and enhanced by two structural parameters: the small width and high aspect ratio of each single conductor and the ferromagnetic pillars positioned at high-flux density locations. This arrangement creates very steep magnetic potential wells, in particular at the vicinity of the pillars. The system allowed capturing of suspended magnetic particles as far as 1,000 μm from the center of the device. Magnetic particles/cells have been trapped and confined in single and in arrays of deep magnetic potential wells corresponding to the MCs configuration.     

Thin film integrated AMR sensor for linear position measurements

A simple anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensor for linear positioning is designed as integrated bridge structure and implemented based on standard technology processes and rotation of the initial anisotropy axis after the patterning of the resistors. The behavior of the separate resistors is investigated by varying the intensity (0 ± 5 kA/m) and direction (0°, 45°, 90° in respect to the initial anisotropy axis) of the applied magnetic field. The experimental results are compared with data from simulation based on detailed analysis of the energy profile. Good agreement is obtained at assumed declination of 15° between the anisotropy and geometrical axes of the resistors. It is shown that in spite of asymmetries and hysteresis observed at low magnetic fields at higher fields used usually for the purposes of automation the response of the structure is single-valued and stable.     

An amperometric ethanol sensor based on a Pd–Ni/SiNWs electrode

A new amperometric ethanol sensor has been developed. The sensor uses the silicon nanowires covered with co-deposited palladium–nickel (Pd–Ni/SiNWs) as the working electrode. The detection of ethanol concentration is based on the response currents resulted from the electro-catalytic oxidation of ethanol. The performance of the sensor was characterized by cyclic voltammetry and fixed potential amperometry techniques. In 1 M KOH solution containing different ethanol concentrations, the sensor shows a good sensitivity of 7.48 mA mM⁻¹ cm⁻² and the corresponding detection limit (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) of 6 μM for cyclic voltammetry. Meanwhile, it also displays a sensitivity of 0.76 mA mM⁻¹ cm⁻² and the corresponding detection limit of 10 μM for fixed potential amperometry. The results demonstrate that the Pd–Ni/SiNWs electrodes are potential as the electrochemical integrated sensors for ethanol detection.     

Low power integrated fluxgate sensor with a spiral magnetic core

Facing the new integrated applications, coordination between three parameters of the micro fluxgate sensor, namely, sensitivity, power consumption and operation range, is the key to make the applications come true. This paper reports a new low power micro integrated fluxgate sensor with low cost solution. A spiral electroplating permalloy magnetic core is introduced to reduce excitation current. Due to the design of little coils resistance and thick magnetic core, the fluxgate sensor exhibits a power consumption of 7.35 mW, a sensitivity of 117 V/T and a linear range of −200 to 200 μT. Compared with the constant-width magnetic core and the multi rectangular ring magnetic cores, experiment results show that the spiral magnetic core benefits both smaller excitation current and higher sensitivity. The newly developed fluxgate sensor maintains high sensitivity and wide linear range with low power consumption.     

Influence of high magnetic field on peritectic transformation during solidification of Bi–Mn alloy

The influence of high magnetic fields up to 10 T on the peritectic temperature of Bi–Mn alloys has been investigated experimentally. A method for measuring the peritectic temperature in a gradient magnetic field has been developed by relating the change of magnetic levitation force to the phase transformation due to the change in magnetic susceptibility while the transformation occurs. By measuring the temperature at which the magnetizing force changes abruptly, the phase transformation can be detected. It is shown that along with the increase of magnetic field, the temperature of the peritectic phase transformation BiMn_1.08+ L→BiMn increased significantly, and in a 10 T field the temperature increase was about 20 ^°C. It is found that with the high magnetic field, a split and separation of the BiMn grains in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field occurred, and its morphology changed from flakes to small blocks. This is attributed to the repulsive force among the peritectic BiMn grains generated by the magnetization during the phase transformation. It seems that the precipitation of ferromagnetic phase results in stress in the grains.     

A sensitive and selective sensor for dopamine determination based on a molecularly imprinted electropolymer of o-aminophenol

A simple and reliable method was proposed for preparing a selective dopamine (DA) sensor based on a molecularly imprinted electropolymer of o-aminophenol. The sensor is selective for the determination of DA in the presence of high concentrations of ascorbic acid (AA), with a maximum molar ratio of 1/1000. The molecular imprinted (MIP) sensor was tested by cyclic voltammetry (CV) as well as differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) to verify the changes in oxidative currents of ferricyanide. In optimized conditions, DA at concentrations of 2 × 10⁻⁸ to 0.25 × 10⁻⁶ mol/L could be determined with a detection limit of 1.98 × 10⁻⁹ mol/L (S/N = 3). The MIP sensor showed high selectivity, sensitivity, and reproducibility. Determination of DA in simulated samples of dopamine hydrochloride showed good recovery.     

Magnetoelectric transducer with high quality factor for wireless power receiving

To achieve strong power coupling, a resonance-type magnetoelectric (ME) transducer with high quality factor is developed to achieve strong ME coupling. The ME transducer employs a type of iron–nickel-based ferromagnetic alloy with constant elasticity and piezoelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT8) material. The dynamic magnetomechanical behavior of the ferromagnetic alloy is investigated. The result indicates that the strain coefficient of the ferromagnetic alloy at resonance achieves 557.07 nm/A due to the high effective mechanical quality factor of the alloy. The transducer is designed to operate as a half-wavelength, longitudinal resonator. The dynamic performance of the transducer is evaluated by measuring its electrical and vibrational characteristics. The results reveal that (1) the resonance of the transducer occurs at the frequency of 26.9336 kHz with a strain coefficient of 314.74 nm/A, an effective mechanical quality factor of 1600; (2) the ME voltage coefficient achieves 30.07 V/Oe (i.e., 375.875 V/cm Oe) at resonance; (3) the ME output power density at optimal load resistance of 25 kΩ achieves 0.956 mW/cm³ under 0.3 Oe root-mean-square AC magnetic field. The performances indicate that the transducer is promising for ME energy conversion application.     

Spin-valve planar Hall sensor for single bead detection

The planar Hall effect (PHE) sensor with a junction size of 3 μm × 3 μm for a single micro-bead detection has been fabricated successfully using a typical spin-valve thin film Ta(5)/NiFe(16)/Cu(1.2)/NiFe(2)/IrMn(15)/Ta(5) nm. The PHE sensor exhibits a sensitivity of about 7.2 μV Oe^?1 in the magnetic field range of ±7 Oe approximately. We have performed an experiment to illustrated the possibility of single micro-bead detection by using a PHE sensor. A single micro-bead of 2.8 μm diameter size is secluded from 0.1% dilute solution of the Dynabeads^® M-280 dropped on the sensor surface and is located on the sensor junction by using a micro magnetic needle. The comparison of the PHE voltage profiles in the field range from 0 to 20 Oe in the absence and presence of a single micro-bead identifies a single Dynabeads^® M-280, the maximal signal change as large as ΔV ～ 1.1 μV can be obtained at the field ～6.6 Oe. The results are well described in terms of the reversal of a basic single domain structure.     

Polysilicon nanofilm pressure sensor

Utilizing 80 nm polysilicon nanofilm as piezoresistors, a pressure sensor with high performance is developed. The complete fabrication process is described. The pressure properties of the sensor were measured at the temperature from 0 to 200 °C. For 0.6 MPa full scale pressure, the sensitivity is 23.00 mV/V/MPa at 0 °C and 18.27 mV/V/MPa at 200 °C, the temperature coefficient of sensitivity (TCS) is about −0.098%/ °C without any compensation. The temperature coefficient of offset (TCO) is about −0.017%/ °C. Because of the good piezoresistive and temperature characteristics of polysilicon nanofilm, the pressure sensor demonstrates a better performance.     

基于非晶合金非对称巨磁阻抗效应的磁传感器设计

以CoFeNiSiB非晶合金薄带为敏感材料,测试分析了其软磁性能,经空气中磁场退火热处理,获得了较好的非对称巨磁阻抗效应(AGMI).以磁场退火处理后的非晶合金薄带为敏感元件,设计了AGMI磁传感器,并对其性能进行了开环和闭环测试.测试结果表明,开环条件下该传感器表现出较高的灵敏度;闭环条件下则表现出更好的线性度和更宽...     

脉冲漏磁检测技术中新型传感器设计及实验验证

漏磁检测法广泛应用于铁磁性材料的缺陷检测.应用有限元法对一新型脉冲漏磁传感装置下钢管缺陷产生的漏磁场进行了仿真分析,仿真结果表明提取缺陷漏磁场三维分量进行缺陷识别,相比较传统的提取一维或二维缺陷漏磁场分量而言,可获取更多有关缺陷尺寸、位置等信息,提高对缺陷的识别能力.采用所设计的新型脉冲漏磁传感器,对脉冲漏磁三维检测分量信号进行了分析,由三维检测信号峰值扫描波形可有效识别缺陷,并评估缺陷长度、深度等信息;实验结果与仿真分析有较好的一致性.     

Exploitation of aeroelastic effects for drift reduction,in an all-polymer air flow sensor

This paper presents a vibration amplitude measurement method that greatly reduces the effects of baseline resistance drift in an all-polymer piezoresistive flow sensor or microtuft. The sensor fabrication is based on flexible printed circuit board (flex-PCB) technology to enable the potential for low-cost and scalable manufacture. Drift reduction is accomplished by discriminating the flow-induced vibration (‘flutter’) amplitude of the microtuft-based sensor as a function of flow velocity. Flutter peak-to-peak amplitude is measured using a microcontroller-based custom readout circuit. The fabricated sensor with the readout circuitry demonstrated a drift error of 2.8 mV/h, which corresponds to a flow-referenced drift error of 0.2 m/s of wind velocity per hour. The sensor has a sensitivity of 14.5 mV/(m/s) with less than 1% non-linearity over the velocity range of 5–16 m/s. The proposed vibration amplitude measurement method is also applied to a sensor array with a modified structure and a reduced dimension, which demonstrated a sensitivity of 13.2 mV/(m/s) with a flow-referenced drift error of 0.03 m/s of wind velocity per hour.     

基于脉冲漏磁原理的涂覆层下腐蚀缺陷检测

脉冲漏磁检测技术在铁磁性板材、管道的裂纹、腐蚀等缺陷的检测方面有很大的优势.但是由于腐蚀类缺陷产生的漏磁信号非常微弱,导致常规的对称励磁结构型脉冲漏磁传感器对不同程度的腐蚀缺陷的检测灵敏度不高.为解决这一问题,提出一种新型非对称励磁结构型传感器.并利用有限元分析以及实验的方法验证了新型非对称励磁结构型传感器对无涂覆层以...     

Development of a micromachining process for the fabrication of a superconductor magnetic-field sensor

This paper reports an effort to introduce high temperature superconductor (HTS) into the MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) field, to develop fabrication procedures suitable for HTS, and using them to fabricate a prototype superconductor microsensor for magnetic field detection. The prototype device fabricated is a sensor based on the giant magnetoresistivity of a high temperature superconductor around its critical temperature. It was fabricated using optical lithography and electrodeposition of Tl₁Ba₂Ca₂Cu₃O_x (Tl-1223) type high T _C superconductors. The test results of the prototype sensor fabricated show that the prototype sensor has a very high magnetoresistivity at medium to strong magnetic field strength and low magnetoresistivity at weak magnetic field. Our work suggests that in order to develop a high precision magnetic sensor for the detection of very weak magnetic fields, other HTS materials with less flux pinning effect and more weak links need to be pursued. The MEMS fabrication process developed is simple, repeatable, and applicable to microfabrication of other types of superconductor devices. Received: 15 May 1999 / Accepted: 19 May 1999     

Terfenol-D/SAW谐振器/Terfenol-D复合磁传感器

设计了一种由超磁致伸缩材料Terfenol-D和SAW谐振器构成的复合磁传感器,在磁场作用下,Terfenol-D沿长度方向伸缩,并将应力应变传递至SAW谐振器,使其产生应变,造成谐振频率改变,通过测量SAW谐振器谐振频率的变化来测量磁场强度.分析了该磁传感器的传感原理,建立了该复合磁传感器的静态模型,对弹性敏感元件进行了受力分析,根据压磁方程和受力平衡得到该磁传感器的静态特性.实验结果表明:该复合磁传感器灵敏度可达341.6Hz/Oe,较Terfenol-D/SAW谐振器结构灵敏度提高了3倍;测量谐振频率的分辨率为1Hz,SAW谐振器频率稳定度为0.1×10-6时,该磁传感器对磁场的分辨率为10-6T.     

Gas sensing behavior of polyvinylpyrrolidone-modified ZnO nanoparticles for trimethylamine

Gas sensors based on polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-modified ZnO nanoparticles with different molar ratios of Zn²⁺: PVP were prepared by a sol–gel method. Morphology of the sensors was characterized by field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), which indicated that the sensor with a molar ratio of Zn²⁺: PVP = 5:5 showed uniform morphology. Moreover, the sensor exhibited fairly excellent sensitivity and selectivity to trimethylamine (TMA). The response and recovery time of the sensor were 10 and 150 s, respectively. Finally, the mechanism for the improvement in the gas sensing properties was discussed.