Magnetometer Sensor Manufacturers and Vendors

This page covers the basics of Magnetometer Sensors and lists popular manufacturers and vendors.

What is a Magnetometer Sensor?

• A magnetometer sensor is an instrument used to measure magnetic fields.
• It measures magnetic flux density (B) in units of Tesla or Wb/m² or kg/(A * s²).
• Magnetometers are used to detect fluctuations in the Earth’s magnetic field.

• Magnetometers are classified into two types: scalar and vector.
• Vector magnetometers measure flux density in a specific direction in three-dimensional space. Example: fluxgate magnetometer.
• Scalar magnetometers measure the total strength of the magnetic field.
• Chip-based magnetometers are usually vector types, containing three sensors mounted orthogonally (each at 90 degrees to the other two).
• They are used for various scientific purposes, navigation, and more. They’re also used in smartphones as compasses.
• Magnetometer sensors are often used in conjunction with microcontrollers.

Magnetometer Sensor Features (Example: HMC5883L from Honeywell)

Here are some key features of a typical magnetometer sensor:

• It’s a 3-axis magnetoresistive sensor.
• It uses a 12-bit ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) to deliver 1 to 2 degrees of compass heading accuracy.
• It has an I²C digital interface for easy interfacing with microcontrollers or other controlling devices.
• It offers a wide magnetic field measurement range.
• It requires a low voltage (2.16 to 3.6V) for operation and consumes very little power.
• RoHS Compliance.

Magnetometer Sensor Manufacturers

The following table lists popular Magnetometer Sensor manufacturers or vendors: