# Critical Design and Characterization Methodology for a Homemade Three-Axis Fluxgate Magnetometer Measuring Ultra-Low Magnetic Fields

## TL;DR

This paper describes the design and testing of a homemade fluxgate magnetometer capable of measuring ultra-low magnetic fields with high sensitivity and stability.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a comprehensive methodology for designing and characterizing a homemade tri-axial fluxgate magnetometer with detailed calibration and optimization techniques.

## Key findings

- The sensor achieved a minimum detectable magnetic field resolution of 2.2 nT and a noise level of 1.1 nT/√Hz at 1 Hz.
- Temperature dependency was effectively compensated to less than 5 nT through calibration.
- A matrix-based model was developed to relate output voltage to magnetic field, including temperature and cross-field effects.

## Abstract

This paper presents the design, fabrication, calibration, and comprehensive characterization of a homemade tri-axial fluxgate magnetometer. The magnetometer, utilizing a ring core configuration, was developed to measure ultra-low magnetic fields with high sensitivity and stability. Critical stages from material selection to sensor geometry optimization are discussed in detail. A series of critical characterization processes were conducted, including zero-field voltage determination, scale factor calculation, resolution measurement, noise analysis, bias assessment, cross-field effect evaluation, temperature dependency, and bandwidth determination. The sensor demonstrated a minimum detectable magnetic field resolution of 2.2 nT with a noise level of 1.1 nT/√Hz at 1 Hz. Temperature dependency tests revealed minimal impact on sensor output with a maximum shift of 120 nT in the range of 60 °C, which was effectively compensated through calibration to less than 5 nT. Additionally, the paper introduces a model function in matrix form to relate the magnetometer’s output voltage to the measured magnetic field, incorporating temperature dependency and cross-field effects. This work highlights the importance of meticulous calibration and optimization in developing fluxgate magnetometers suitable for various applications, from space exploration to biomedical diagnostics.