Patent ID: 6580271
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A method for estimating the value of a magnetic field, the method comprising:providing a layer of a selected magnetostrictive (MNS) material, contiguous to a layer of a selected piezoresistive (PZR) material across an MNS-PZR interface; providing a current in a charge-carrying line between selected spaced apart first and second locations on the PZR layer; exposing at least a portion of the MNS layer to a magnetic field, and allowing a change in electrical resistance to develop in the PZR layer in response to exposure of the MNS layer to the magnetic field; measuring a change in a selected electrical field variable e(t) developed between third and fourth locations adjacent to the first and second locations, respectively, in response to exposure of the MNS layer to the magnetic field; and estimating the magnetic field value that corresponds to at least one value of the change in the variable e(t).