How to make a magnetic field map

1. Place a piece of paper over the magnet and sprinkle iron filings on it.
2. If that doesn't work, ask Metrolab.

Pioneers in magnetic mapping

Many industry and research applications require knowing the magnetic field strength not just at a single point, but throughout a volume. Metrolab provides you with decades of experience and a complete product line to help you make magnetic field maps accurately and quickly. As with single-point measurements, you can choose from three different magnetic measurement technologies, depending on your requirements and the characteristics of the field to be mapped.

NMR: the ultimate precision for homogeneous, static fields

Certain applications require knowing the magnetic field map with a precision that only NMR can provide. One very important such application is the production of MRI magnets. Since 1992, we produce Magnetic Field Cameras specifically for this application. Able to measure up to 96 points simultaneously, this system dramatically speeds up mapping and reduces the positioning error.

Integrator: precise angular field decomposition with rotating coils

Focusing magnets used in accelerators need to be characterized very precisely, but the complex, highly inhomogeneous fields do not permit the use of NMR. Instead, a rotating coil is used to make a polar decomposition of the integrated field seen by a beam particle. Metrolab's Fast Digital Integrator, first introduced in 1991, is still considered as the reference for this application.

Hall: complete 3D field map with moderate precision

Most magnetic field maps are used to validate the operation of a prototype magnet against a computed model. Such applications generally don't require the precision of NMR or rotating coils; instead, convenience and speed are the predominant considerations. Metrolab's Three-axis Handheld Magnetometer - the only handheld magnetometer to simultaneously measure all three components of the magnetic field - provides an extremely flexible and convenient solution.

Download technical notes

• Technologies for Precision Magnetic Field Mapping