Method for characterizing a local magnetic field, and device for carrying out the method

A method for measuring a local magnetic field, comprising:

• providing, in a region of the magnetic field, an arrangement of magnetic field sensors in an array, each of the sensors including at least one layer sensitive to magnetic fields;
• arranging a sensor matrix, including a number of the magnetic field sensors, at least in a sub-region of a measuring area of the field;
• configuring dimensions of the magnetic field sensors, dimensions of the layer sensitive to the magnetic fields, and grid dimension of the sensor matrix such that at least two of the sensors are influenced by the local magnetic field;
• generating the local magnetic field by at least one of magnetic and magnetizable particles, wherein a spacing of neighboring sensors is smaller than a diameter of a particle such that a stray field of the particles are actable upon at least two magnetic field sensors;
• reading a measured signal of each of the magnetic field sensor separately and independently of other sensor signals;
• and
• determining a position of a magnetizable particle by determining a magnetic field distribution from the measured signals of at least two neighboring magnetic field sensors by offsetting the separately and independently read sensor signals and a known spatial distribution of the magnetic field sensors.