The Helmholtz Association is providing almost 900,000 euros to fund the development of a novel type of magnetic sensor from DESY’s laboratories. The grant from the Helmholtz Validation Fund is to be used to develop the sensors to commercial viability over the next two years. DESY and an industrial partner are together providing the same amount of money again to support the project. “The successful application for the grant by Ralf Röhlsberger and his team demonstrates the innovative potential to be found at DESY,” says DESY’s Chief Technology Officer Arik Willner. “Developments like these emerging from DESY meet with keen interest in the industrial sector.”

Magnetic field sensors are becoming increasingly popular in the computing and automotive industry, for example to measure engine speeds in ABS systems. Their sensitivity and comparatively small size make so-called magnetoresistive sensors particularly interesting. Industrial users are always calling for new types of sensor concepts, in order to expand their areas of application and to branch out into new markets. However, conventional magnetoresistive sensors are only partly able to cover these needs, since their potential functionality is limited.

A new manufacturing process, which has been developed at DESY and for which a patent is pending, changes all this by using a new coating procedure, whereby the layers of the magnetoresistive sensors are not applied vertically from above, but rather at an angle, allowing the properties of the sensor to be adjusted flexibly. “Until now, it has often been necessary to adjust the application to fit the sensor; our technology means that we can customise the sensor to fit the intended application,” explains Kai Schlage from Röhlsberger's group, inventor and project manager of the novel sensor technology. In the course of the validation project, a new coating line will be built and the use of the sensors will be tested in an industrial environment, to ensure they can fulfil the requirements of the automotive industry and other areas of application.

“Turning research findings into practical applications is an important step in contributing to solving the problems facing our society,” as the Helmholtz Association points out. Because of this, it set up the Helmholtz Validation Fund to promote projects it considers to be particularly promising in this respect. “The Helmholtz Validation Fund is providing key support to our research scientists, in turning their findings into applications and putting them on the commercial market. This is an important aspect of our mission,” says Otmar D. Wiestler, the President of the Helmholtz Association. DESY’s magnetic sensors are one of three products that were selected in this year’s round. Other projects that are receiving funding are the development of special antibodies for cancer treatment at the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) as well as an innovative method of analysis for the semiconductor industry at the Jülich Research Centre. Since 2011, a total of 24 validation projects have been selected.

 

More Information about the novel magnetoresistive sensors

More Information about the Helmholtz Validation Fund