SBIR Phase I:Electromagnetic Pulse Sensors Based on Magnetic Nanowire Arrays

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop novel field detectors and memory devices capable of detecting magnetic field of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). The sensor is made of magnetic nanowire arrays consisting of magnetic nanowires embedded in an insulating matrix, and is able to memorize the incoming rf magnetic field pulse as short as 100ps and survive in an extreme EMP environment with fields as large as 2MV/m. Due to the passive operation mode, it can record rf field without electrical power. The recorded signal can then be read out during the power-on stage. The material system also shows other interesting phenomena such as tunable ferromagnetic resonant (FMR) frequency. The objective of this research is to demonstrate the concept of using magnetic nanowire arrays to detect EMP. Specifically, issues including the stability of field detector in a microwave field and the response time will be addressed. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project arises from the rich phenomena exhibited by the magnetic nanowire array, each leading to a class of applications. The ?memory effect? leads to EMP sensors and potential applications in radio frequency identification (RFID) applications. The tunable FMR feature can be used to construct tunable rf circulators/isolators and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. The high magnetic permeability in GHz range can be used as antenna substrates on which miniaturized antenna can be fabricated.