Abstract: A magnetostrictive microelectromechanical system (MEMS) element based magnetometer includes a MEMS element with any type of magnetostrictive material. The MEMS element can be made with or coated by the magnetostrictive material. The magnetometer can include a frequency measuring device, such as an oscilloscope, a frequency counter, a wave meter, a spectrum analyzer or the like. The magnetostrictive MEMS element can be used as a resonator in any type of oscillator circuit, such as a Pierce, a Colpitts, or a Clapp oscillator circuit. The magnetometer can be calibrated. The magnetostrictive MEMS element can be placed proximate a magnetic field, a resonant frequency of the magnetostrictive MEMS element proximate the magnetic field can be determined, and a property of the magnetic field can be determined based on a change in the resonant frequency of the magnetostrictive MEMS element proximate the magnetic field.

Abstract: A scalable architecture based in silicon on sapphire (SOS) CMOS for building an interferometric optical detection system to sense the motion of a resonating MEMS device or to detect the motion of any object to which the system is packaged. The SOS CMOS device is packaged with both vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) and MEMS devices. The optical transparency of the sapphire substrate together with the ultra thin silicon PIN photodiodes available in the SOS process allows for the design of both a Michelson-type and Fabry-Perot-type interferometer. The detectors, signal processing electronics and VCSEL drivers are built on the SOS CMOS for a complete system.

Abstract: Provided herein is a xylophone bar magnetometer (XBM) with automatic resonance control, said XBM having a voltage input, a current drive input and a sensor output, having a voltage input switch for switching between a positive drive voltage and a negative drive voltage; a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) for controlling the voltage input switch; and a feedback loop, connected between the sensor output and a input of the VCO.