GMR nanowire sensors

1. A magnetic position sensor comprising:

a. at least one magnetic field sensor comprising a solidified layer of GMR nanowire carrier fluid formed on a substrate material, wherein the solidified layer of carrier fluid comprises:

i. discrete GMR nanowires each having a diameter of less than about 0.5 μm and a length less than about 250 μm; and

ii. a concentration of GMR nanowires in the solidified layer being between about 0.001 and about 10 percent by weight of the carrier fluid;

b. a detection circuit capable of detecting a change in resistance of the magnetic field sensor; and

c. a magnet allowing relative movement closer to or further away from, the magnetic field sensor.

2. The magnetic position sensor of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field sensor and the magnet are positioned in a housing and a biasing mechanism urges the magnet and magnetic field sensor apart.

3. The magnetic position sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of magnetic field sensors positioned on the substrate in a two dimensional configuration.

4. The magnetic position sensor of claim 3 , wherein a plurality of indicia are positioned over the substrate such that each indicia corresponds to at least one magnetic field sensor, thereby causing a change in resistance in the at least one magnetic field sensor as the magnet is moved over the indicia.

5. The magnetic position sensor of claim 1 , wherein the solidified layer of carrier fluid has at least about 100 nanowires per mm 2 .

6. The magnetic position sensor of claim 1 , wherein the GMR nanowires are positioned in a substantially random orientation when adhered to the substrate material.

7. The magnetic position sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a corrosion inhibitor which is at least one of a barrier-forming corrosion inhibitor or a scavenger corrosion inhibitor.

8. A GMR material carrying solution comprising:

a. a carrier fluid;

b. a concentration of discrete GMR nanowires contained in the carrier fluid, wherein:

i. the discrete GMR nanowires each having a diameter of less than about 0.5 μm and a length less than about 200 μm;

ii. the GMR nanowires have an aspect ratio of at least five;

iii. the concentration of GMR nanowires being between about 0.005 and about 10 percent by weight of the carrier fluid.

9. The GMR material carrying solution according to claim 8 , wherein the carrier fluid comprises

0.0001% to 0.5% of a surfactant;

0.01% to 15% of a viscosity modifier; and

80% to 99.0% of a solvent.

10. The GMR material carrying solution according to claim 8 , wherein the carrying solution comprises at least one solvent selected from group consisting of water, an alcohol, a ketone, an ether, a hydrocarbon or an aromatic solvent.

11. The GMR material carrying solution according to claim 8 , wherein the carrying solution comprises at least one of a dispersion agent, a viscosity control agent, a corrosion inhibitor, or an adhesion agent.

12. The GMR material carrying solution according to claim 8 , wherein the discrete nanowires each have a diameter of less than about 0.2 μm and a length less than about 100 μm.

13. The GMR material carrying solution according to claim 8 , wherein GMR nanowires comprise alternating ferromagnetic and non-magnetic conductive layers.

14. The GMR material carrying solution according to claim 8 , wherein the carrier fluid includes an ink, dye, or other pigment.

15. The GMR material carrying solution according to claim 8 , wherein the carrier fluid is substantially transparent.

16. The GMR material carrying solution according to claim 8 , further comprising a flux concentrator agent.

17. The GMR material carrying solution according to claim 8 , further comprising a corrosion inhibitor.

18. A method of forming a magnetic field sensor comprising the step of adhering a solidified layer of GMR nanowire carrier fluid to a substrate material, wherein the GMR nanowire carrier fluid comprises:

i. discrete GMR nanowires in the carrier fluid each having a diameter of less than about 0.5 μm and a length less than about 200 μm; and

ii. a concentration of GMR nanowires in the carrier fluid being between about 0.01 and about 10 percent by weight of the solution;

iii. wherein the GMR nanowires are positioned in a random orientation when adhered to the substrate material.

19. The method of forming a magnetic field sensor according to claim 18 , wherein the GMR nanowire carrier fluid is adhered to the substrate by drying the carrier fluid on the substrate.

20. The method of forming a magnetic field sensor according to claim 18 , wherein the substrate is a flexible sheet of polymer material.

21. The method of forming a magnetic field sensor according to claim 18 , wherein the carrier fluid is applied to the substrate using at least one sheet based or roll-to-roll based printing techniques.

22. The method of forming a magnetic field sensor according to claim 18 , wherein the sensor has a resistance change of about at least 0.01% per mT.

23. The method of forming a magnetic field sensor according to claim 18 , wherein the sensor is formed in a predefined shape on the substrate by applying the carrier fluid to a stamp having the predefined shape and then applying the stamp to the substrate in order transfer the carrier fluid to the substrate.