Production of Magnetic Core Materials for Flux-Gate Magnetometers

SkyVision Sciences proposes to develop a process for fabricating Mo-Permalloy (6-81.3). The material is used as the core material in advanced magnetometers. Sourcing of high quality Mo-Permalloy has become increasingly difficult in the U.S. and worldwide making its replacement imperative. The Phase I effort will develop an electrolytic process for fabricating the Mo-Permalloy foils. The resulting foils will be measured for their magnetic, mechanical, and electrical properties including Barkhausen noise in order to optimize its functionality. The Phase II effort is envisioned to further improve and characterize the materials properties, scale the fabrication process, and provide material to NASA or its partners for fabricating a magnetometer with this new core material.

Magnetometers are utilized in earth, solar, and outer planetary sensing of magnetic fields for examination of planetary environments, space weather, and solar flares. Permalloys have historically been used for such high-end instruments. However, the availability of Permalloy material is practically non-existent in the U.S. and is in limited supply in Europe and Asia. The proposed material will provide an enabling technology for sensitive and precise measurements in low magnetic fields. Electrical transformers, motors, and inductors that could utilize the proposed material with slight modification include the energy sector, automotive, telecommunications, the military, and household products.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 1) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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