Experimental Installation for Determination of Attenuation Coefficient of Permanent Magnetic Field by Protective Materials

Abstract

The permanent magnetic field in addition to electromagnetic radiation has a significant effect on performance of devices. This is particularly true for highly sensitive precision measuring equipment, such as, for example, magnetometers or photomultiplier tubes. In this regard a new high-performance materials for protection against permanent fields and electromagnetic radiation need to be developed. The purpose of this paper is a development of a hardware and software complex for high-precision determination of permanent magnetic field attenuation coefficient and certification of protective materials. This paper describes an experimental installation for determining the attenuation coefficient of a permanent magnetic field using materials and coatings on standard package for electronic equipment. The installation ensures a uniform magnetic field flow in the measurement volume. The advantage of the measuring device is the ability to measure magnetic field in three coordinates due to the use of three pairs of Helmholtz coils and a three-dimensional Hall sensor. The software will enable to control of the magnetic field in all three directions, simulating the real operating conditions of devices that require protection from such influences. In addition, a movable positioning system makes it possible to compensate for the Earth's magnetic field, which increases the accuracy of estimating the attenuation coefficient by protective materials in weak magnetic field. An alternative use of the capabilities of the installation is to test the performance of the devices in a permanent magnetic field and evaluate the electromagnetic compatibility. Experimental results of the work includes determination of the magnetic field attenuation coefficient using standard photomultiplier tube package made of electrolytically deposited permalloy and the sheet of annealed permalloy. Thus, the effect of annealing and closed magnetic circuit on the degree of weakening of the magnetic field is shown. It has been demonstrated that annealing which causes a significant increase in the magnetic permeability promotes an effective attenuation of weak magnetic fields (up to 1 mT). In magnetic fields with an induction of 1 mT or more, effective attenuation is provided by a closed magnetic circuit.