DEVELOPMENT OF MINIATURE MAGNETOMETERS Development of Miniature Magnetometers

ome of the highlights of the ongoing program within the Sensor Science Group of APL’s Milton S. Eisenhower Research and Technology Development Center to develop novel magnetometers are summarized. In particular, two approaches are described: a magnetostrictive device based on the deflection of a Terfenol-D coated single-crystal silicon cantilever and a Lorentz-force device based on a classical xylophone resonator. Both magnetometers, even though at early stages of development, are state of the art in terms of sensitivity and offer a number of advantages for field applications: small size, high sensitivity, integration on a silicon chip, and vector capability. Using standard microelectromechanical system (MEMS) machining techniques, both classes—together with others under consideration—can be fabricated into planar three-axis magnetometers and into oneor two-dimensional arrays for magnetic imaging applications. (