High sensitive and high response magnetometer by the use of low inductance superconducting loop including a negative inductance generating means

Abstract

A magnetometer comprising a superconducting loop including a magnetic flux detecting coil and a SQUID (Superconducting QUantum Interference Device) connected to the superconducting loop via magnetic flux. A negative inductance generating device is provided having two terminals for generating a negative inductance defined by the value of the derivative of generalized magnetic flux between the two terminals with current flowing between the terminals (d.PHI./dI) being negative. The inductance of the superconducting loop is decreased by the negative inductance generating device and input signals intensified by the negative inductance generating device are detected by the SQUID. A plurality of the superconducting loops may be provided to construct a gradiometer and a variable negative inductance generating device is provided to the respective superconducting loop to equalize and intensify the sensitivities of the detection coils.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.