Non-destructive testing gains strength thanks to TMR

Categorie(s) : News, Research

Published : 1 June 2015

TMR (tunnel magnetoresistance) sensors promise greater sensitivity to probe for hidden defects and higher spatial resolution to pick up even the most minute defects. The technology is a product of the EU-backed project Imagic, in which Leti participated. The sensors will end up in in Eddy current NDT equipment used to inspect metal parts.

The sensor is made up of a network of 576 magnetic tunnel junctions (50 µm x 50 µm), each made of a stack of fifteen-or-so magnetic thin layers. The processes developed to make the sensors leverages some of the same fabrication methods used in MRAM production. The sensors’ extreme sensitivity could position them as a promising technology for various applications, such as in the automotive industry, where they could compete with giant magnetoresistance technology.

Contact: bertrand.delaet@cea.fr

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