7Magnetic Nanosensors
7.1 Introduction
What is a magnetic sensor? It is a transducer that converts a magnetic field into an electrical signal. It relates to the sub-discipline magnetism (Section 1.3.10) of Physics (Section1.3), dealing with magnetic phenomena, notably changes in magnetoresistance (ordinary, anisotropic, giant, tunneling), magnetic relaxation times, superconductivity-based effects, etc.
A magnetic sensor is required not only for magnetic signal detection but is also necessary whenever a nonmagnetic signal is to be measured by means of an intermediary signal detection into the magnetic signal domain in a tandem transducer, for example, the detection of a current through its magnetic field or the mechanical displacement of a magnet. ...
