# Exploring Eco-Sustainability in Functionally Unconventional Magnetic Field Sensors

## TL;DR

This paper reviews recent efforts to develop eco-friendly magnetic field sensors with new functionalities like flexibility and transparency.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in integrating environmental sustainability with unconventional sensor functionalities.

## Key findings

- Conventional fabrication methods are energy-intensive and environmentally harmful.
- New strategies aim to make sensors flexible, transparent, and sustainable.
- Sustainability is addressed across the entire life cycle of the sensors.

## Abstract

Magnetic field sensors
are indispensable components in modern electronics
owing to their reliable, contactless operation. Over the last decades,
the rapid advancement of emerging technologies (e.g., wearable devices,
transparent electronics, virtual and augmented reality, soft robotics,
and the Internet of Things) has not only fueled the expanding demand
for magnetic field sensors but also imposed increasingly stringent
requirements on their performance and functionality. However, conventional
fabrication processes, predominantly based on thin-film techniques,
often entail energy-intensive procedures and excessive material waste,
generating significant environmental impacts. Furthermore, the intrinsic
rigidity and opacity of traditional sensors hinder their seamless
integration into next-generation platforms. In response, the research
community has undertaken extensive efforts to reconcile unconventional
functionality with environmental sustainability. This review highlights
recent advances in this direction, focusing on strategies that endow
magnetic field sensors with mechanical flexibility and optical transparency
while simultaneously addressing sustainability challenges throughout
their entire life cycle.