Abstract: Apparatus and method for harvesting energy from the environment and/or other external sources and converting it to useful electrical energy. The harvester does not contain a permanent magnet or other local field source but instead relies on the earth's magnetic field of another source of a magnetic field that is external to the sensing device. One advantage of these new harvesters is that they can be made smaller and lighter than energy harvesters that contain a magnet and/or an inertial mass. A small implantable stimulator(s) includes at least one passive magnetostrictive/electro-active (PME) magnetic-field sensor for delivering electrical stimulation to surrounding tissue. The PME is charged utilizing a changing magnetic field from an external alternating magnetic field source at a frequency particular to the PME. The small stimulator provides means of stimulating a nerve, tissue or internal organ with direct electrical current, such as relatively low-level direct current for temporary or as needed therapy.

Abstract: Method and system for estimating a concentration of free electrons with a selected spin polarization in a semiconductor material. A static magnetic field and an electromagnetic field are impressed on the semiconductor, and free electrons are injected (through diffusion or tunneling) into the semiconductor material from a ferromagnetic material. Motion of the injected, spin-polarized electrons, within the semiconductor gives rise to a Hall voltage across the semiconductor. This voltage is measured at one or more spaced apart locations and analyzed to detect presence of, and estimate a concentration of, free electrons with a selected spin at at least one location within the semiconductor. Effects of an imposed stress, temperature, illumination or electromagnetic field on the semiconductor can be determined.

Abstract: A self-biasing magnetostrictive element for a magnetomechanical EAS marker is formed by first annealing a ribbon of ferromagnetic material in the presence of a magnetic field applied in a transverse direction relative to the ribbon's longitudinal axis, and then annealing the ribbon a second time in the presence of a magnetic field applied in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The twice-annealed ribbon exhibits remanent magnetization along the longitudinal axis and has plural magnetic domains situated along the longitudinal axis. The orientation of magnetization in each domain is canted by .+-..theta..degree.<90.degree. from the ribbon axis with the direction of canting alternating from domain to domain.