Effects of intrinsic magnetostriction on tube-topology magnetoelectric sensors with high magnetic field sensitivity

Three quasi-one-dimensional magnetoelectric (ME) magnetic field sensors, each with a different magnetostrictive wire material, were investigated in terms of sensitivity and noise floor. Magnetostrictive Galfenol, iron-cobalt-vanadium, and iron-nickel wires were examined. Sensitivity profiles, hysteresis effects, and noise floor measurements for both optimally biased and zero-biased conditions are presented. The FeNi wire (FN) exhibits high sensitivity (5.36 mV/Oe) at bias fields below 22 Oe and an optimal bias of 10 Oe, whereas FeGa wire (FG) exhibits higher sensitivity (6.89 mW/Oe) at bias fields >22 Oe. The sensor of FeCoV wire (FC) presents relatively low sensitivity (2.12 mV/Oe), due to low magnetostrictive coefficient. Each ME tube-topology sensor demonstrates relatively high sensitivity at zero bias field, which results from a magnetic shape anisotropy and internal strain of the thin magnetostrictive wire.