PCB fluxgate magnetometers with a residence times difference readout strategy:: The effects of noise

Residence times difference (RTD) fluxgates are very simple magnetic sensors that have low onboard power requirements and an intrinsic digital (i.e., event based) form of the readout signal. These features make this class of devices competitive with the traditional second-harmonic fluxgate, which usually requires a higher power budget. Moreover, these detectors are characterized by high sensitivity and a suitably low resolution and noise floor when compared to the devices that are already on the market. Our work on RTD fluxgates has been widely presented in previous papers. In this paper, an overview of this work, which deals with the development of models, prototypes, and readout electronics and the effects of electric and magnetic noise, is presented, together with some noticeable forward steps regarding the characterization of the prototype, which is developed in the standard printed circuit board (PCB) technology, and with a preliminary discussion on possible solutions to improve the performance of the device with an emphasis on the resolution.