Demagnetization Effect in a Meander-Core Orthogonal Fluxgate Sensor

Demagnetization effect plays an important role in the magnetic core design of the orthogonal fluxgate sensor. In this paper, a meander-core orthogonal fluxgate sensor based on amorphous ribbon is described. The demagnetization model of meander-core structures is established, and the average demagnetization factor can be evaluated by finite element modeling. Simulation and experimental analyses were performed to study the effects of demagnetization on the sensitivity and linear range of orthogonal fluxgate sensors in the fundamental mode by varying the number of strips, the line width, and the spacing of the meander-cores. The results were compared and revealed a very close match. The results show that the demagnetization factor increases with an increase in the number of strips and the line width, which leads to an increase in the linear range of the sensors. The sensitivity can be improved by increasing the number of strips appropriately, however, it is reduced when the line width increases. Smaller spacing results in a larger demagnetization factor due to the magnetic interactions between adjacent strips, which reduces the sensitivity of the sensor. The results obtained here from simulations and experiments are useful for designing magnetic sensors with similar structures.