Three-axis magnetic field induction sensor realized on buckled cantilever plate

Abstract

This work presents the fabrication and characterization of a three-axis induction sensor consisting of one planar microcoil, fixed on the substrate, and two microcoils fabricated on Bbuckled cantilever plates (BCP) oriented perpendicularly to the substrate and each other. The BCP allows an out-of-plane translation while preserving a direct connection to the substrate, which aids the routing of electrical lines. The fabricated sensor is integrated on a single substrate, allowing interaction and integration with other systems. The devices are fabricated using a MEMS polymer fabrication process. Different microcoil configurations are realized with 17-30 turns, 5 μm track width, and 15-20 μm track pitch. The sensor showed up to 6.8 nT/√Hz resolution to magnetic fields within a frequency range of 40 Hz to 1 MHz. The BCP concept provides a strikingly simple method to fabricate a three-axis field sensor that can readily be integrated with electronic circuits, and the sensor's performance can easily be adjusted within a wide range by changing the dimensions of the coils. © 2013 IEEE.