Dynamic response and shock resistance of ferromagnetic micromechanical magnetometers

We have designed, fabricated, and tested ferromagnetic micromechanical magnetometers and have characterized their dynamic response and shock resistance. The magnetometer design is similar to a compass consisting of a ferromagnetic plate and a pair of torsion beams. The susceptibility of these MEMS magnetometers to squeeze film damping is analyzed and compared to experimental results. The torsion beam geometry of the magnetometer is such that longer beams can be used to obtain a higher magnetic sensitivity without compromising device shock resistance.