Fabrication and calibration of search coils

TL;DR

This paper reviews techniques for fabricating and calibrating magnetic search coils, emphasizing harmonic coil systems for their optimal balance of range, accuracy, and cost in accelerator magnet measurements, based on CERN's extensive experience.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of fabrication and calibration methods for search coils, highlighting harmonic coil systems and practical techniques from CERN's half-century expertise.

Findings

Harmonic coil systems are optimal for integral magnetic measurements.

Detailed calibration methods improve measurement accuracy.

Practical fabrication techniques enhance coil reliability.

Abstract

In this paper the techniques available to make and calibrate magnetic search coils are reviewed, with emphasis on harmonic coil systems as the commonly-used optimal choice for integral measurements of accelerator magnets in terms of measuring range, accuracy, and cost. The topics treated, drawing extensively on half a century of experience at CERN, include mechanical and electrical design criteria, practical fabrication techniques, metrological considerations, and various calibration methods for coil parameters such as surface area, rotation radius, tilt angle etc. in both static or time-varying magnetic fields.