SBIR Phase II: Development of High-Tc Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) Magnetometers for Unshielded Operation

该小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目旨在开发一种能够在无屏蔽环境中运行的超灵敏磁传感器技术。这些紧凑型传感器将基于超导量子干涉器件（SQUID），该器件由高温（高Tc）超导材料制成。MagneSensors和U.C.伯克利将采用新颖的设计和材料加工解决方案，以前所未有的灵敏度生产在环境场中运行的高Tc SQUID。该计划将在低频和高频的实际应用中测试所开发的传感器，以演示在存在大背景磁场干扰的情况下的操作。这种新的使能技术寻求克服灵敏度、带宽、尺寸和空间分辨率方面的限制，这些限制限制了目前常规磁场传感器的更广泛应用。最终的目标是开发一种低成本、便携式的系统，其灵敏度比任何其他仪器都要高得多。这项技术将使开发一个全新的一代仪器，将发现在各种各样的应用程序中使用。此类应用包括飞机裂缝和腐蚀的无损评估、集成电路检查、使用磁性标签的均相免疫测定和DNA探针、地球物理勘测、环境监测、未爆炸弹药检测、肠道缺血诊断和心律失常筛查。一些应用的潜在市场规模达到10亿美元以上。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is aimed at developing an ultra-sensitive magnetic sensor technology that is capable of operation in an unshielded environment. These compact sensors will be based on superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) that are fabricated from high temperature (high-Tc ) superconducting materials. A collaborative effort between MagneSensors and U.C. Berkeley will employ novel design and materials processing solutions to produce high-Tc SQUIDs operating in ambient fields with an unprecedented level of sensitivity. The program will test the developed sensors on real-world applications at both low and high frequencies to demonstrate operation in the presence of large background magnetic field interference. This new enabling technology seeks to overcome the limitations in sensitivity, bandwidth, size, and spatial resolution, which restrict the more widespread application of present conventional magnetic field sensors. The eventual goal is the development of a low-cost, portable system with much greater sensitivity than is available with any other instrumentation. This technology will enable the development of an entirely new generation of instrumentation that will find use in a wide variety of applications. Such applications include non-destructive evaluation of cracks and corrosion in aircraft, inspection of integrated circuits, homogeneous immunoassays and DNA probes using magnetic labels, geophysical surveying, environmental monitoring, detection of unexploded ordnance, diagnosis of intestinal ischemia, and screening for cardiac arrhythmias The potential market size for some of the applications reaches over $1 billion.