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A novel technology for ultra sensitive reliable integrated magnetic sensors: a new era in magnetic detection

Objetivo

During last century research on magnetic sensors has been very active. Despite this continuous interest, from the point of view of impact in industry and society there have not been major advances other than SQUID, flux gate, Hall effect or AMR sensors, all of them already in use decades ago. Especially, the development of a sensitive and reliable integrated magnetic sensor has proved very elusive. Currently most of the market in low field integrated sensors relies on American companies developing Anisotropies Magneto resistors. The applications of such sensors are so broad that it should be a priority for Europe to control this market. The research project SENPIMAG has the ambitious objective of developing a new technology of ultra sensitive integrated magnetic sensors that will culminate with Europe leading the market in magnetic detection. The underlying idea of this new technology is based on interfacing magnetostrictive with piezoelectric materials. A very simplified idea of the operating procedure is: the magnetostrictive material is the sensing element that changes its size in a magnetic field and this stress is transmitted to the piezoelectric that transforms the stress in electric signal. So ultimately, coils are not required for detection and integration becomes possible. Obviously, in order to make a large impact in the market, most of the characteristics of the sensor have to improve at the same time: sensitivity, field range, bandwidth, temperature range, signal to noise ratio, power consumption, etc. The initial size estimation of a competitive device is in the micron range but the idea is open to the reduction to nanoscale. SENPIMAG involves some of the world leading groups in magnetic sensor basic research and magnetic sensor characterization and applications.

Convocatoria de propuestas

FP6-2002-NMP-1
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Coordinador

THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Aportación de la UE
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Dirección
The Old Schools, Trinity Lane
CAMBRIDGE
Reino Unido

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Coste total
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Participantes (4)