High-Tc dc-SQUID magnetometer and its application in eddy current non-destructive evaluation Original Research Article

We have fabricated and tested a high-Tc dc-SQUID magnetometer patterned on a YBCO thin film deposited on a SrTiO3 bicrystal substrate. The measurement of noise spectrum at 77 K showed that the magnetometer has a white noise of 333 fT/Hz1/2 without superconducting shield, corresponding to a flux sensitivity of 14.5 μΦ0/Hz1/2. We constructed a test system for eddy current non-destructive evaluation of conducting aluminum plates by using the magnetometer. Flaws over 10 mm below the surface can be clearly identified. By mapping the magnetic field distribution, we can locate the flaw position. The signals caused by flaw were expanded due to the use of double-D type driving coil with a wider central slit. The experimental results confirmed that this test system could operate in a magnetic unshielded environment.