title: Signal detection via residence-time asymmetry in noisy bistable devices.
abstract: We introduce a dynamical readout description for a wide class of nonlinear dynamic sensors operating in a noisy environment. The presence of weak unknown signals is assessed via the monitoring of the residence time in the metastable attractors of the system, in the presence of a known, usually time-periodic, bias signal. This operational scenario can mitigate the effects of sensor noise, providing a greatly simplified readout scheme, as well as significantly reduced processing procedures. Such devices can also show a wide variety of interesting dynamical features. This scheme for quantifying the response of a nonlinear dynamic device has been implemented in experiments involving a simple laboratory version of a fluxgate magnetometer. We present the results of the experiments and demonstrate that they match the theoretical predictions reasonably well.
authors.affiliation: Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Code 2363, 49590 Lassing Road, San Diego, California 92152-6147, USA. bulsara@spawar.navy.mil
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bulsara
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seberino
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gammaitoni
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lundqvist
authors.forename: J W C
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Robinson