Simulation Studies for an Electron Gun Based Magnetic Probe

Abstract

This work investigates an innovative magnetic field probe suitable for characterizing a wide variety of complex magnetic systems. Currently, several magnetic field measurement technologies are available to perform magnetic characterization. A few examples of these technologies include Hall effect probes, magnetoresistive devices, and fluxgate magnetometers. In this article, we present simulations and perform validation of this novel sensing technology. This magnetometer is based on a low-energy electron beam traversing a micro cathode ray tube (mCRT). An electron gun shoots a stream of electrons at the imager mounted perpendicularly to the beam and located at the opposite end of the tube. Electrostatic plates enhance the magnetic probe’s range by bringing the beam spot back to the imager when it goes out of the boundary. The projected beam spot depends on the magnetic environment present at the beam path and can be translated to magnetic field measurements. This unique approach provides many advantages when characterizing complex magnetic systems. The unique characteristics resulting from this state-of-the-art magnetometer will add a new tool for the improvement of the field of magnetic metrology.