Amorphous materials in sensor applications

Sensors are devices that convert one form energy into another. Magnetic sensors are a subgroup of the above which make use of one of the magnetic principles for conversion, namely: galvanomagnetic effect, electromagnetic effect, magnetoelastic effect, movement of domain boundaries, and superconductive effect. Amorphous materials have been commercially available in ribbon (1973), in wire (1981) or in powder form (1983). The combination of goad magnetic properties in the absence of magnetocrystalline anisotropy and mechanical strength of these alloys make them suitable for sensor applications. Amorphous materials are broadly classified into two categories; highly magnetostrictive and near zero magnetostrictive types. Both of these categories are extensively used in sensor applications. In this paper, the use of amorphous materials as a sensor material in detection of force, displacement (angular or linear), vibration acceleration, rotational speed, and torque is reviewed showing operating characteristics with typical results