Research on Design Optimization of E-shape Fluxgate Sensors 
Zhang Shengbin  Jiang Nan  Zhu Huaiyuan

Anhui Huaxin Micro Nano Integrated Circuit Co., Ltd, Bengbu Anhui, 233000；

Abstract：The fluxgate sensor is a magnetic field measurement device based on the nonlinear magnetization characteristics of ferromagnetic materials, featuring advantages such as compact size, lightweight construction, and high precision. It is widely utilized in industrial, defense, and biomedical applications. This paper presents a systematic investigation into the theoretical foundations, simulation analysis, and optimization design of fluxgate sensors.Based on the relative orientation between the ambient magnetic field and the excitation field, fluxgate sensors are categorized into parallel-type and orthogonal-type configurations, with their respective working principles elucidated. By leveraging the BH curve characteristics of ferromagnetic materials and the fundamental principles of fluxgate operation, mathematical models for the excitation coil, magnetic core, and sensing coil are established, followed by a derivation of the second-harmonic detection method.Finite element simulation software is employed to analyze the E-shape core fluxgate sensor, examining the correlation between the ambient magnetic field and the induced voltage. Through controlled variable studies, the influence of excitation voltage amplitude, waveform, frequency, coil turns, sensing coil turns, and core material on the induced voltage is investigated. The simulation results are further processed to evaluate key performance metrics, including sensitivity and linearity.The design and optimization of fluxgate sensors are discussed, covering core structure design with comparisons of ring-type, double-rod, and helical configurations. The excitation coil is optimized to enhance sensitivity in ring-type sensors, while the excitation voltage direction in "E" core sensors is adjusted to enable dual-axis ambient field detection. For orthogonal-type fluxgate sensors, the detection method is refined by modifying the excitation approach—introducing a DC bias to mitigate disturbances caused by minor BH curve irregularities—while simultaneously optimizing the output signal processing technique.

Keywords: fluxgate sensor; second-harmonic method; finite element simulation

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