Flexible eddy current array probe and methods of assembling the same

1. A method of assembling an eddy current probe for use in nondestructive testing of a sample, the eddy current probe including an array of substantially planar drive coil elements and a plurality of unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensors, the drive coil elements each including at least one drive coil winding, said method comprising:

positioning the array of substantially planar drive coil elements within a flexible material;

providing at least one drive coil bonding pad, on the flexible material, for a first drive coil element of the plurality of drive coil elements;

positioning at least one sensor bonding pad on a first unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensor of the plurality of unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensors; and

coupling the at least one drive coil bonding pad to the at least one sensor bonding pad to couple the first unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensor to the flexible material, the at least one drive coil bonding pad and the at least one sensor bonding pad configured to align the first unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensor at a predetermined location with respect to an electromagnetic field created by the first drive coil element.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein positioning an array of substantially planar drive coil elements further comprises positioning a first drive coil winding within a first layer of the drive coil element and positioning a second drive coil winding within a second layer of the drive coil element, wherein the first drive coil winding is substantially parallel to the second drive coil winding and to the sample during testing.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising orienting the plurality of substantially planar drive coil elements in a plurality of linearly aligned rows, wherein the center of each drive coil element in a first row is staggered relative to the center of a corresponding drive coil element in a second row.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein coupling at least one drive coil bonding pad to the at least one sensor bonding pad to align the first unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensor at a predetermined location with respect to an electromagnetic field created by the first drive coil element comprises coupling at least one unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensor to a center of the drive coil element.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein coupling said first unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensor to the flexible material comprises coupling the unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensor to the drive coil element using at least one of a wire-bonding material and a flip-chip mounting method.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising fabricating the array of planar drive coil elements using a high density interconnect (HDI) process to pattern the at least one drive coil winding onto the flexible material.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein fabricating the array of planar drive coil elements further comprises patterning the at least one drive coil bonding pad on the flexible material.

8. An eddy current probe comprising:

an array of substantially planar drive coil elements, the drive coil elements each comprising at least one drive coil winding positioned within a flexible material, said drive coil elements each further comprising at least one drive coil bonding pad; and

an unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensor comprising at least one sensor bonding pad coupled to said at least one drive coil bonding pad to form the eddy current probe, said at least one drive coil bonding pad and said at least one sensor bonding pad configured to align the unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensor at a predetermined location with respect to an electromagnetic field created by the drive coil element.

9. An eddy current probe according to claim 8 wherein said at least one drive coil winding is at least one of substantially rectangular, substantially hexagonal, and substantially spiral.

10. An eddy current probe according to claim 8 wherein said flexible material comprises a polyimide film.

11. An eddy current probe according to claim 8 wherein said unpackaged solid-state magnetic field sensor comprises at least one of a Hall sensor, an anisotropic magnetic resistor, a giant magnetic resistor, a tunneling magnetic resistor, an extraordinary magnetoresistor, and a giant magnetoimpedance.

12. An eddy current probe according to claim 8 further comprising at least one of wire-bonding material configured to couple said solid-state sensor to said drive coil element and a bonding material configured to facilitate a flip-chip mounting process.

13. An eddy current probe according to claim 8 wherein said drive coil elements each further comprise a first layer and a second layer, wherein said first layer comprises a first drive coil winding and said second layer comprises a second drive coil winding.

14. An eddy current probe according to claim 8 wherein the predefined location for said solid-state magnetic field sensor with respect to the electromagnetic field is at a center of said drive coil element.