Sensor Application Note

001-E

Repeatability of GMR annular sensors

The repeatability of the GMR angle sensor was evaluated with respect tentatively to a wide range of automotive, industrial and domestic applications such as pedal-, seat-, throttleposition, liquid-level sensing, dial position, washing drum and spray arm position. Particular attention was paid to assembly tolerances, hysteresis and temperature effects.

1 Test method and assembly

The test apparatus comprises a motorised angular table a motorised linear actuator and two manually adjustable axes, (Y-axis and Z-axis). The angular table has a glass ruler specified with a resolution of 0.001, and is manually adjustable in two axes, (Y-axis and Z-axis); the linear actuator also has a glass ruler specified with a resolution of 0.5 m. in the (X-axis). Located on the turntable is a permanent magnet (22 x 11 x 3 mm3) which is magnetised along its length. The manual linear actuators carry the PCB's onto which the GMR sensors have been soldered. The sensors are arranged such that the electronic as well as the mechanical zero crossover points coincide with one another. The mechanical and the electronic arrangement is shown in Fig. 1.

Axis of rotation

5V

GMR Sensor mounted on adjustible PCB

R
Digitalmultimeter

Magnet Z X Y

Rotary stage with Glasscale Linear stage with Glasscale

Fig. 1. Representation of the mechanical and electrical measurement assembly. The sensors are connected to a 5 V. supply, the bridge voltage in each arm of the bridge is measured using a DVM, the signals being subtracted from one another in the evaluation.

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2 Measurement results at room Temperature

2.1 Hysteresis of the centred Full bridge GMR B6
Initially, the hysteresis curves of several components were measured as a function of the maximum angle of rotation a, and the field strength H. The sensors were placed along the magnet centre. The angle a takes the values 30, 60, 120 and 320. The largest adjustable angle was 320, so that larger angles or multiple rotations can only be simulated by using polewheels. The measurement results were obtained symmetric to the null, i.e. the magnetic field lines transgress through the angles -a/2, 0, a/2, 0,- a/2 in well defined steps. The hysteresis is taken to be the maximum deviation between corresponding angles determined by the system. Typical measurements are represented in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 and Tab.1 show the combined results.

Signal /mV 60

40

20 Angle -30 -20 -10 -20 10 20 30

-40

-60

Fig. 2

Hysteresis curve of a GMR B6 Sensor over an angular range of 60 under a magnetic field strength of 10 kA/m

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Sensor Application Note

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H (kA/m)

Annular domain

30 2,0 0,5 0,2 <0,01

60 2,5 0,5 0,2 <0,01

120 2,7 0,6 0,3 <0,01

320 3,2 0,9 0,6 0,3

5 8 10 15

Tab. 1: Mean value of hysteresis of GMR B6 in relation to angle and magnetic field strength ranges
3,5 30 60 120 320

Hysteresis ()

3,0

2,5

2,0

1,5

1,0

0,5

0,0 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

H (kA/m)

Fig. 3

Hysteresis curves of GMR B6 sensors in relation to Angle and also magnetic field strength ranges.

2.2

Bidirectional repeatability of a centred sensor

In further test measurements, the bidirectional dependance of the components was evaluated as follows: Within a specified angular range, the same ranges as discussed above, defined points were entered 500 times, with an average of 10 times each position. The 320 range was ommitted due to the longer measurement times required. In measurements without reversal of the magnetic field direction, the accuracy is limited only by the signal noise; this issue will be discussed separately later in this document.

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A typical output characteristic is shown in Fig. 4, and the combined results are shown in Fig. 5. When the hysteresis measurement values are compared to the repeatability measurement values, then it can be seen that similar results are obtained in both cases.
Signal (mV) 60 40 20 Angle () 0 -30 -20 -10 -20 -40 -60 10 20 30

Fig. 4

Repeatability of a GMR B6 sensor over an angular range of 60 at a magnetic field strength of 10 kA/m over 500 measurements
3,5

2,5
30 Nr.2

Repeatability ()

60

120 30 Nr.3

1,5

0,5

0 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

H/ kA/m

Fig. 5

Repeatability of a GMR B6 sensor as a function of magnetic field strength and angular range

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2.3

Hysteresis of non-centred GMR B6 sensors

Following the experiments carried out in Fig 1, the effect of off centring the Sensor from the magnetic axis was investigated. Measurements were taken for off axis displacements of [(X=)0,(Y=)1]; [0,2]; [1,0]; [2,0]; [1,1]; [1,2]; [2,1]; [2,2]; [3,3] mm in the X - Y plane under a magnetic field strength of 10 KA/m and over an angular range of 120. From measurements determining the flow of the magnetic field lines it is already known that the magnet can be assumed to have symmetrical properties, so that we can limit our experimental evaluation to only one quadrant. The results are quite impressive; and demonstrate that even by displacements of up to 3 mm in each direction, i.e. a total radial displacement of over 4 mm from the central position, a fine output characteristic curve depicted in Fig. 6 can still be traced.
Signal /mV

100 Displacement (mm) 0;0 3;3 50

Angle -60 -40 -20 20 40 60

-50

-100

Fig. 6

Measurement curves of a centred, and of an off-centred (by approx. 3mm in each direction) GMR B6 sensor at a magnetic field strength of 10 kA/m

Both curves of Fig. 6 were measured in the forward and in the reverse approach, the hysteresis in both cases being identical. These curves show very clearly the freedom in the assembly tolerances bestowed by using the GMR sensors Even when one supposes that the position of the magnet relative to the sensor varies over one measurement cycle, e.g. through eccentricity or run-out of the spindle, surprisingly accurate measurements can still be made. Fig. 7 shows some measurement curves in which it can be seen that even an off-centre displacement of 1mm in each axis, i.e. anywhere within an area of about 2.8mm diameter, results with an accuracy of 1% can still be obtained. For off-centre, but still localised systems, the accuracy values shown in chapter 2.2 can be used. The deviations of the off-centre curves to the ideal curve shown here, result from the fact that

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the field of the magnetic dipole is not rotationally symmetrical. This is hence a physical effect of the magnetic field which the sensor correctly interprets.

Difference ()

2,0 Off-axis displacement (mm) 0;0 0;1 1;1 1,0

-40

-20

20

40 Angle

-1,0

-2,0

Fig. 7

Deviation of the Angular measurement (in ) for an off-centred measurement arrangement using a GMR B6 sensor at a magnetic field strength of 10 kA/m.

This article is to be continued. We look forward to receiving comments and suggestions from our readers Author: Erich Hufgard (translation by Eric Shankland)

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