Magnetic sensors and their applications

TLDR

Magnetic sensors are classified by whether they measure the total field or its vector components, and their fabrication draws on diverse physics and electronics principles. The authors describe and compare the most common magnetic field sensing technologies. They survey a broad array of sensor types, including search coil, fluxgate, optically pumped, nuclear precession, SQUID, Hall‑effect, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance, magnetic tunnel junctions, giant magnetoimpedance, magnetostrictive/piezoelectric composites, magnetodiode, magnetotransistor, fiber‑optic, magneto‑optic, and MEMS‑based sensors. The paper also discusses how these sensors are employed for measurements involving Earth's magnetic field.

Abstract

Magnetic sensors can be classified according to whether they measure the total magnetic field or the vector components of the magnetic field. The techniques used to produce both types of magnetic sensors encompass many aspects of physics and electronics. Here, we describe and compare most of the common technologies used for magnetic field sensing. These include search coil, fluxgate, optically pumped, nuclear precession, SQUID, Hall-effect, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance, magnetic tunnel junctions, giant magnetoimpedance, magnetostrictive/piezoelectric composites, magnetodiode, magnetotransistor, fiber optic, magnetooptic, and microelectromechanical systems-based magnetic sensors. The usage of these sensors in relation to working with or around Earth's magnetic field is also presented.