Modern Design Principles of Fluxgate Magnetometers

Abstract

This review analyzes recent advances in fluxgate magnetometers. It introduces an innovative concept of using magnetically ordered composite and crystalline structures made of ferrites or conducting ferromagnetic materials as fluxgate cores. These active physical media enable new multifactor excitation methods, qualitatively improving output parameters. Unlike conventional approaches restricted to magnetic permeability modulation, the authors theoretically justify processes based on the interplay of five physical factors: indirect exchange, magnetostriction, dynamic inhomogeneities, magnetoelectric interaction, and chirality. This paper systematizes original patented modulator designs. These include electrodynamic modulators implemented as compact resonant C antennas and devices utilizing the acoustic magnetoelastic effect, local magnetic inhomogeneities, or electromagnetic-acoustic excitation. Furthermore, the hardware implementation of a specialized two-component fluxgate magnetometer is considered. This device provides high-precision measurements of geomagnetic field parameters for shallow geophysical exploration and navigation systems. Experimental data confirm a significant increase in sensitivity, interference immunity, and transformation precision under extremely low power consumption. This review establishes a solid foundation for a promising applied direction at the intersection of metrology and spintronics.