Ultra Sensitive Integrated Magnetic Field Sensors for Fuze Applications

Military ordinance is becoming increasingly sophisticated to upgrade safety and accuracy. Improved environmental sensors are needed to address these issues. A positive indicator of safe separation would materially enhance safing mechanisms. Effective ordinance range would be extended if environmental information were used to track a round's location. TPL proposes development of ultra sensitive, nano-Tesla range, magnetic field sensors for the safing and targeting applications. Magnetic fields can be used to detect gun barrel exit providing an environmental indication of safe separation. The Earth's magnetic field can be used to derive turns counting information for estimation of total distance traveled. The proposed magnetic field sensors will be compatible with integrated circuit manufacturing techniques allowing the sensor and signal processing circuitry to be inexpensively fabricated on the same device. During Phase I magnetic field sensors would be implemented and tested for the ranging and safing applications. These sensors would be delivered for agency evaluation. In addition, the sensors would be tested in simulated service conditions to verify correct performance. TPL's instrumentation group has years of experience developing state of the art sensors and supporting instrumentation. Magnetic field detectors form an important part of equipment being developed for nondestructive evaluation applications. BENEFITS: Development of magnetic sensors will improve ordinance safety, reliability, and effectiveness. Savings will be realized in ammunition required for target defeat. training, and logistics. Magnetic sensors will also have application in commercial pyrotechnics. electronic compasses. metal detectors, position detectors for robotics and medical instrumentation.