A μ-magnetometer based on electron tunneling

Abstract

In this paper, a working prototype of a /spl mu/-magnetometer based on electron tunneling is described. The tunneling /spl mu/-magnetometer offers a unique combination of advantages including high resolution (/spl sim/10/sup -9/ Tesla//spl radic/Hz), vector sensitivity, wide bandwidth (>10 kHz), low power (<100 mW), small size (1 cm/spl times/1 cm/spl times/0.6 mm), robustness, wide dynamic range (>100 dB), and small temperature coefficient. The preliminary noise equivalent magnetic field (NEB) for a prototype is 6 /spl mu/T//spl radic/Hz, in good agreement with a device performance model. Linear response to increasing DC and AC magnetic fields is also demonstrated. Finally, work in progress to improve the NEB to 4 nT//spl radic/Hz is described.