Vector field measurement is demonstrated with an all-optical scalar atomic magnetometer using intrinsic parameters related to its scalar operation. The Bell-Bloom type atomic magnetometer measures the Larmor precession of cesium atoms through on-resonant absorption of a probe beam. While the AC component of the probe signal is used for the field magnitude measurement, the probe DC signal contains information about the polar angle, defined as the angle between the magnetic field and the probe beam. Additional polar angle information is obtained from the light-shift-induced magnetic field caused by the frequency modulation of the probe beam. With a measurement time of 100 milliseconds, better than 0.02 degree sensitivity has been achieved using a commercial miniaturized sensor at the optimal sensor orientation. The angle measurement accuracy is checked against an optical encoder over the entire polar angle range of 0 to 180 degrees. Better than 1 degree error is recorded over most set polar angles. Azimuthal angle measurement is also exhibited with two orthogonally oriented sensors.
We described a novel technique that can find the zero-field for unshielded laser-pumped atomic magnetometer using atomic signal itself. By comparing light density of pump beam after atomic vapor cell, it is decided which direction to move the compensation magnetic field and whether to increase or decrease the converging step length. The zero-field is found in less than 18s and the step length after converging is smaller than 10nT, 10nT and 40nT for x, y and z axes, respectively, limited by 50Hz noise in the lab environment.
Scalar atomic magnetometers have many attractive features but their sensitivity has been relatively poor. We describe a Rb scalar gradiometer using two multi-pass optical cells. We use a pump-probe measurement scheme to suppress spin-exchange relaxation and two probe pulses to find the spin precession zero crossing times with a resolution of 1 psec. We realize magnetic field sensitivity of 0.54 fT/Hz$^{1/2}$, which improves by an order of magnitude the best scalar magnetometer sensitivity and surpasses the quantum limit set by spin-exchange collisions for a scalar magnetometer with the same me…
We demonstrate electromagnetic induction imaging with an unshielded, portable radio-frequency atomic magnetometer scanning over the target object. This configuration satisfies standard requirements in typical applications, from security screening to medical imaging. The ability to scan the magnetometer over the object relies on the miniaturization of the sensor head and on the active compensation of the ambient magnetic field. Additionally, a procedure is implemented to extract high-quality images from the recorded spatial dependent magnetic resonance. The procedure is shown to be effective in…
This article is designed as a step-by-step guide to optically pumped magnetometers based on alkali atomic vapor cells. We begin with a general introduction to atomic magneto-optical response, as well as expected magnetometer performance merits and how they are affected by main sources of noise. This is followed by a brief comparison of different magnetometer realizations and an overview of current research, with the aim of helping readers to identify the most suitable magnetometer type for specific applications. Next, we discuss some practical considerations for experimental implementations, u…
The method of operation of an atomic magnetometer based on coherent population trapping (CPT) without any requirement of radio frequency scanning is demonstrated. Using a hybrid approach comprising of polarization rotation and tailored transmission due to CPT states, the simultaneous operation of the device as atomic frequency standard as well as atomic magnetometer is investigated. The magnetometer sensitivity can be further improved by utilizing the inherent option of magnetic field assisted synchronized radio frequency scanning.
In this work we propose, and experimentally demonstrate, the use of a self-oscillating all-optical atomic magnetometer for magnetic induction measurements. Given the potential for miniaturization of atomic magnetometers, and their extreme sensitivity, the present work shows that atomic magnetometers may play a key role in the development of instrumentation for magnetic induction tomography.
Miniaturized atomic magnetometers, particularly spin-exchange relaxation-free atomic magnetometers, have been emerging in clinical imaging applications such magnetocardiography and magnetoencephalography. Miniaturization, portability, and low cost are primary development targets for bio-magnetic imaging technologies, as well as high sensitivity and spatial and time resolution. In this paper, we propose a low-cost solution for a bio-magnetic imaging system based on atomic magnetometers, in which one laser source is used for a multi-channel atomic magnetometer sensor array. A novel design is dem…
Atomic magnetometers are highly sensitive detectors of magnetic fields that monitor the evolution of the macroscopic magnetic moment of atomic vapors, and opening new applications in biological, physical, and chemical science. However, the performance of atomic magnetometers is often limited by hidden systematic effects that may cause misdiagnosis for a variety of applications, e.g., in NMR and in biomagnetism. In this work, we uncover a hitherto unexplained interference effect in atomic magnetometers, which causes an important systematic effect to greatly deteriorate the accuracy of measuring…
In atomic magnetometers, the vector AC-Stark shift associated with circularly polarized light generates spatially varying effective magnetic fields which limit the magnetometer response and serve as sources of noise. We describe a scheme whereby optically pumping a small sub-volume of the magnetometer cell and relying on diffusion to transport polarized atoms allows a magnetometer to be operated with minimal sensitivity to the AC-Stark field.
We have designed and tested an atomic vectorial magnetometer based on the analysis of the coherent oscillatory transients in the transmission of resonant laser light through a Rb vapor cell. We show that the oscillation amplitudes at the Larmor frequency and its first harmonic are related through a simple formula to the angles determining the orientation of the magnetic field vector. The magnetometer was successfully applied to the measurement of the ambient magnetic field.
The operation of polarimetric based single beam three axis atomic magnetometer is studied. The magnetometer operates in presence of small bias magnetic field. Its salient features are compared with the analysis of Bloch equation. The sensitivity of the device along three orthogonal directions are measured in low frequency regime, where 1/f noise adversely affect the sensitivity. The cross talk among the three axes magnetic field measurements and relative phase shifts are analysed using Lissajous plot. The sensitivity of the magnetometer is found to be < 10 pT/sqrt(Hz) @400 mHz in any direction…
We demonstrate detection of NMR signals using a non-cryogenic atomic magnetometer and describe several novel applications of this technique. A water free induction decay (FID) signal in a 0.5 $μ$T field is detected using a spin-exchange-relaxation-free K magnetometer and the possibility of using a multi-channel magnetometer for 3-D MRI requiring only a single FID signal is described. We also demonstrate detection of less than $10^{13}$ $^{129}$Xe atoms whose NMR signal is enhanced by a factor of 540 due to Fermi-contact interaction with K atoms. This technique allows detection of less than $10…
We describe the development of a simple atomic magnetometer using $^{87}$Rb vapor suitable for Earth magnetic field monitoring. The magnetometer is based on time-domain determination of the transient precession frequency of the atomic alignment around the measured field. A sensitivity of 1.5 nT/$\sqrt{Hz}$ is demonstrated on the measurement of the Earth magnetic field in the laboratory. We discuss the different parameters determining the magnetometer precision and accuracy and predict a sensitivity of 30 pT/$\sqrt{Hz}$
We describe our research programme on the use of atomic magnetometers to detect conductive objects via electromagnetic induction. The extreme sensitivity of atomic magnetometers at low frequencies, up to seven orders of magnitude higher than a coil-based system, permits deep penetration through different media and barriers, and in various operative environments. This eliminates the limitations usually associated with electromagnetic detection.
We demonstrate detection of proton NMR signals with a radio frequency atomic magnetometer tuned to the NMR frequency of 62 kHz. High-frequency operation of the atomic magnetometer makes it relatively insensitive to ambient magnetic field noise. We obtain magnetic field sensitivity of 7 fT/Hz$^{1/2}$ using only a thin aluminum shield. We also derive an expression for the fundamental sensitivity limit of a surface inductive pick-up coil as a function of frequency and find that an atomic rf magnetometer is intrinsically more sensitive than a coil of comparable size for frequencies below about 50 …
We present a theoretical study of the spectra produced by optical-radio-frequency double resonance devices, in which resonant linearly polarized light is used in the optical pumping and detection processes. We extend previous work by presenting algebraic results which are valid for atomic states with arbitrary angular momenta, arbitrary rf intensities, and arbitrary geometries. The only restriction made is the assumption of low light intensity. The results are discussed in view of their use in optical magnetometers.
We observe quantum beats with periodic revivals due to non-linear spacing of Zeeman levels in the ground state of potassium atoms and demonstrate their synchronous optical pumping by double modulation of the pumping light at the Larmor frequency and the revival frequency. We show that synchronous pumping increases the degree of spin polarization by a factor of 4. As a practical example, we explore the application of this double-modulation technique to atomic magnetometers operating in the geomagnetic field range and find that it can increase the sensitivity and reduce magnetic field orientatio…
A multi-channel atomic magnetometer operating in an unshielded environment is described and characterised. The magnetometer is based on D1 optical pumping and D2 polarimetry of Cs vapour contained in gas-buffered cells. Several technical implementations are described and discussed in detail. The demonstrated sensitivity of the setup is 100fT/Hz^1/2 when operating in the difference mode.
With the help of Stokes operator S2 squeezed state (also called polarization squeezed state (PSS)) of 795-nm light, rubidium-87 (87Rb) atomic magnetometer based on Faraday rotation has been implemented and characterized.The PSS of Stokes operator S2 of 795-nm light has been prepared by means of coherently combining the polarization coherent state (PCS) of a linearly p-polarized bright 795-nm light beam and a linearly s-polarized squeezed vacuum state (SVS) generated by a 397.5-nm ultraviolet laser pumped sub-threshold optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with a PPKTP bulk crystal inside the OPO…
We present magnetic detection of a single, 2 μm diameter cobalt microparticle using an atomic magnetometer based on a microfabricated vapor cell. These results represent an improvement by a factor of 105 in terms of the detected magnetic moment over previous work using atomic magnetometers to detect magnetic microparticles. The improved sensitivity is due largely to the use of small vapor cells. In an optimized setup, we predict detection limits of 0.17 μm^3.
We present an apparatus to overcome the limitations of mechanical raster-scanning in electromagnetic induction imaging (EMI) techniques by instead performing a 2D optical raster-scan within the vapour cell of a radio-frequency atomic magnetometer (RF-AM). A large cuboidal 87Rb vapour cell is employed to act as the medium of an RF-AM with the pump and probe beams translated in the cell via acousto-optics. The technique is shown to give robust and repeatable magnetic measurements over the cell volume and successfully resolves conductive targets with EMI. Optical raster-scanning removes the limit…
We report an all-optical atomic vector magnetometer using dual Bell-Bloom optical pumping beams in a Rb vapor cell. This vector magnetometer consists of two orthogonal optical pumping beams, with amplitude modulations at $^{85}$Rb and $^{87}$Rb Larmor frequencies respectively. We simultaneously detect atomic signals excited by these two pumping beams using a single probe beam in the third direction, and extract the field orientation information using the phase delays between the modulated atomic signals and the driving beams. By adding a Herriott cavity inside the vapor cell, we improve the ma…
We show that a single atomic magnetometer in a magnetically unshielded environment can be used to perform magnetic particle spectroscopy (MPS) and AC susceptometry (ACS) on liquid-suspended magnetic nanoparticles. We demonstrate methods allowing a simultaneous recording of M(H) and dM/dH(H) dependences of samples containing down to 1 $μ$g of iron. Our results pave the way towards an atomic magnetometer based MPI scanner.
Spin polarized atomic ensembles can be used for the precise measurement of magnetic field. Conventional atomic magnetometers have demonstrated high sensitivities, albeit at low detection bandwidth, fundamentally limited by the Larmor precession frequency of the atoms. Here, we introduce a new type of atomic magnetometer which can realize sensitive detection with high temporal resolution. The magnetometer is based on monitoring the effect of the magnetic field on the hyperfine coherences of spin-polarized hydrogen atoms produced from the rapid photodissociation of hydrogen chloride (HCl). This …
We demonstrate an optically pumped $^{87}$Rb magnetometer in a microfabricated vapor cell based on a zero-field dispersive resonance generated by optical modulation of the $^{87}$Rb ground state energy levels. The magnetometer is operated in the spin-exchange relaxation-free regime where high magnetic field sensitivities can be achieved. This device can be useful in applications requiring array-based magnetometers where radio frequency magnetic fields can induce cross-talk among adjacent sensors or affect the source of the magnetic field being measured.
We demonstrated a scalar atomic magnetometer using a micro-fabricated Cs vapor cell. The atomic spin precession is driven by an amplitude-modulated circularly-polarized pump laser resonant on D1 transition of Cs atoms and detected by an off-resonant linearly-polarized probe laser using a balanced polarimeter setup. Under a magnetic field with amplitude in the Earth's magnetic field range, the magnetometer in the gradiometer mode can reach sensitivities below 150 fT/rt-Hz, which shows that the magnetometer by itself can achieve sub-100 fT/rt-Hz sensitivities. In addition to its high sensitivity…
We demonstrate Magnetic Induction Tomography (MIT) with an all-optical atomic magnetometer. Our instrument creates a conductivity map of conductive objects. Both shape and size of the imaged samples compare very well with the actual shape and size. Given the potential of all-optical atomic magnetometers for miniaturization and extreme sensitivity, the proof-of-principle presented here opens up promising avenues in the development of instrumentation for magnetic induction tomography.
Noise properties of an idealized atomic magnetometer that utilizes spin squeezing induced by a continuous quantum nondemolition measurement are considered. Such a magnetometer measures spin precession of $N$ atomic spins by detecting optical rotation of far-detuned light. Fundamental noise sources include the quantum projection noise and the photon shot-noise. For measurement times much shorter than the spin-relaxation time observed in the absence of light ($τ_{\rm rel}$) divided by $\sqrt{N}$, the optimal sensitivity of the magnetometer scales as $N^{-3/4}$, so an advantage over the usual sen…
We demonstrate the sensitivity of a sensor based on an optically-pumped radio-frequency (RF) atomic magnetometer to the polarization state of the detected RF magnetic field, and measure $>$36 dB difference in amplitude sensitivity for opposite circular field polarizations. This sensitivity could be used to create novel sensors that would allow signal detection while suppressing the ambient noise, regardless of the distance between the sources of signal and noise, in contrast to traditional gradiometry configurations. Additionally, such sensor will be orientation-sensitive, as the phase of the …
We report on a compact, tunable, and scalable to large arrays imaging device, based on a radio-frequency optically pumped atomic magnetometer operating in magnetic induction tomography modality. Imaging of conductive objects is performed at room temperature, in an unshielded environment and without background subtraction. Conductivity maps of target objects exhibit not only excellent performance in terms of shape reconstruction but also demonstrate detection of sub-millimetric cracks and penetration of conductive barriers. The results presented here demonstrate the potential of a future genera…
The hybrid optical pumping spin exchange relaxation free (SERF) atomic magnetometers can realize ultrahigh sensitivity measurement of magnetic field and inertia. We have studied the $^{\text{85}}$Rb polarization of two types of hybrid optical pumping SERF magnetometers based on $^{\text{39}}$K-$^{\text{85}}$Rb-$^{\text{4}}$He and $^{\text{133}}$Cs-$^{\text{85}}$Rb-$^{\text{4}}$He respectively. Then we found that $^{\text{85}}$Rb polarization varies with the number density of buffer gas $^{\text{4}}$He and quench gas N$_{\text{2}}$, pumping rate of pump beam and cell temperature respectively, w…
We propose and demonstrate a radio-frequency atomic magnetometer with sub-Doppler laser cooled rubidium-87. With a simple and compact design, our system demonstrates a sensitivity of $330~pT/\sqrt{Hz}$ in an unshielded environment, thus matching or surpassing previously reported cold atoms designs. By merging the multiple uses and robustness of radio-frequency atomic magnetometers with the detailed control of laser cooling, our cold atom radio-frequency magnetometer has the potential to move applications of atomic magnetometry to high spatial resolution. Direct impact in metrology for applied …
A self-oscillating magnetometer based on the nonlinear magneto-optical rotation effect with separate modulated pump and unmodulated probe beams is demonstrated. This device possesses a bandwidth exceeding $1\khz$. Pump and probe are delivered by optical fiber, facilitating miniaturization and modularization. The magnetometer has been operated both with vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), which are well suited to portable applications, and with conventional edge-emitting diode lasers. A sensitivity of around $3 {\rm nG}$ is achieved for a measurement time of $1\s$.
We present experimental data and theoretical interpretation of NMR spectra of remotely magnetized samples, detected in an unshielded environment by means of a differential atomic magnetometer. The measurements are performed in an ultra-low-field at an intermediate regime, where the J-coupling and the Zeeman energies have comparable values and produce rather complex line sets, which are satisfactorily interpreted.
Ultra-low field (ULF) MRI is a promising method for inexpensive medical imaging with various additional advantages over conventional instruments such as low weight, low power, portability, absence of artifacts from metals, and high contrast. Anatomical ULF MRI has been successfully implemented with SQUIDs, but SQUIDs have the drawback of cryogen requirement. Atomic magnetometers have sensitivity comparable to SQUIDs and can be in principle used for ULF MRI to replace SQUIDs. Unfortunately some problems exist due to the sensitivity of atomic magnetometers to magnetic field and gradients. At low…
The three axis magnetic field measurement based on the interaction of a single elliptically polarized light beam with an atomic system is described. The magnetic field direction dependent atomic responses are extracted by the polarimetric detection in combination with laser frequency modulation and magnetic field modulation techniques. The magnetometer offers additional critical requirements like compact size and large dynamic range for space application. Further, the three axis magnetic field is measured using only reflected signal from the polarimeter, thus can be easily expanded to make spa…
We present a portable four-channel atomic magnetometer array operating in the spin exchange relaxation-free regime. The magnetometer array has several design features intended to maximize its suitability for biomagnetic measurement, specifically foetal magnetocardiography, such as a compact modular design, and fibre coupled lasers. The modular design allows the independent positioning and orientation of each magnetometer, in principle allowing for non-planar array geometries. Using this array in a magnetically shielded room, we acquire adult magnetocadiograms. These measurements were taken wit…
We describe an ultra-sensitive atomic magnetometer using optically-pumped potassium atoms operating in spin-exchange relaxation free (SERF) regime. We demonstrate magnetic field sensitivity of 160 aT/Hz$^{1/2}$ in a gradiometer arrangement with a measurement volume of 0.45 cm$^3$ and energy resolution per unit time of $44 \hbar$. As an example of a new application enabled by such a magnetometer we describe measurements of weak remnant rock magnetization as a function of temperature with a sensitivity on the order of 10$^{-10}$ emu/cm$^3$/Hz$^{1/2}$ and temperatures up to 420$^\circ$C.
Under negative feedback, the quality factor Q of a radio-frequency magnetometer can be decreased by more than two orders of magnitude, so that any initial perturbation of the polarized spin system can be rapidly damped, preparing the magnetometer for detection of the desired signal. We find that noise is also suppressed under such spin-damping, with a characteristic spectral response corresponding to the type of noise; therefore magnetic, photon-shot, and spin-projection noise can be measured distinctly. While the suppression of resonant photon-shot noise implies the closed-loop production of …
A free-induction-decay (FID) type optically-pumped rubidium atomic magnetometer driven by a radio-frequency (RF) magnetic field is presented in this paper. Influences of parameters, such as the temperature of rubidium vapor cell, the power of pump beam, and the strength of RF magnetic field and static magnetic field on the amplitude and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the FID signal, have been investigated in the time domain and frequency domain. At the same time, the sensitivities of the magnetometer for the single-pass and the triple-pass probe beam cases have been compared by chang…
We present a single-beam atomic magnetometer operating at room temperature for the measurement of ac magnetic fields. The magnetometer functions in the non-linear regime of magneto-optical rotation of $^{85}$Rb atomic vapour. We demonstrate a sensitivity of $\sim 0.9$ pT$/ \sqrt{Hz}$ at 2 kHz and a large bandwidth of 24 kHz. The dynamic range of measurement is $10^6$, making the sensor effective even in Earth's field. We present the signal-to-noise and bandwidth characteristics of the system for both shielded and unshielded modes of operation. Moreover, we perform theoretical analysis for the …
Electromagnetic induction imaging with atomic magnetometers has disclosed unprecedented domains for imaging, from security screening to material characterization. However, applications to low-conductivity specimens -- most notably for biomedical imaging -- require sensitivity, stability, and tunability only speculated thus far. Here, we demonstrate contactless and non-invasive imaging down to 50 S/m using a 50 fT/Hz$^{-1/2}$ $^{87}$Rb radio-frequency atomic magnetometer operating in an unshielded environment and near room temperature. Two-dimensional images of test objects are obtained with a …
The detection of environmental magnetic fields is well established by optically pumped atomic magnetometers. Another focus of magnetometry can be the research on magnetic or spin-active solid-state samples. Here we introduce a simple and compact design of a rubidium-based M$_{\mathrm{x}}$-magnetometer, which allows for hosting solid-state samples. The optical, mechanical and electrical design is reported, as well as simple measurements which introduce the ground-state spin-relaxation time, the signal-to-noise ratio of a measurement, and subsequently the overall sensitivity of the magnetometer.…
We report what we believe is the first experimental limit placed on plant biomagnetism. Measurements with a sensitive atomic magnetometer were performed on the Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) inflorescence, known for its fast bio-chemical processes while blooming. We find that the surface magnetic field from these processes, projected along the Earth's magnetic field, and measured at the surface of the plant, is less then ~0.6uG.
This paper presents a compact low-temperature atomic vector magnetometer for weak field measurements, using an atomic cell containing two orthogonal multipass cavities. At the working temperature of 75 $^\circ$C, the magnetic field sensitivities at all three axes are better than 45 fT/Hz$^{1/2}$ at 10~Hz limited by photon noise, and 85 fT/Hz$^{1/2}$ at 0.1~Hz. This sensor also shows measurement stabilities better than 1.5~pT at three axes for an integration time of $10^4$ s, even with the laser frequency unlocked. The sensor response to a rotation is demonstrated, which is also developed to me…
We report on a 2x2 array of radio-frequency atomic magnetometers in magnetic induction tomography configuration. Active detection, localization, and real-time tracking of conductive, non-magnetic targets are demonstrated in air and saline water. Penetration in different media and detection are achieved thanks to the sensitivity and tunability of the sensors, and to the active nature of magnetic induction probing. We obtained a 100% success rate for automatic detection and 93% success rate for automatic localization in air and water, up to 190 mm away from the sensors' plane (100 mm underwater)…
We demonstrate remote detection of rotating machinery, using an atomic magnetometer at room temperature and in an unshielded environment. The system relies on the coupling of the AC magnetic signature of the target with the spin-polarized, precessing atomic vapor of a radio-frequency optical atomic magnetometer. The AC magnetic signatures of rotating equipment or electric motors appear as sidebands in the power spectrum of the atomic sensor, which can be tuned to avoid noisy bands that would otherwise hamper detection. A portable apparatus is implemented and experimentally tested. Proof-of-con…
We use a radio-frequency $^{85}$Rb alkali-vapor cell magnetometer based on a paraffin-coated cell with long spin-coherence time and a small, low-inductance driving coil to create highly resolved conductivity maps of different objects. We resolve sub-mm features in conductive objects, we characterize the frequency response of our technique, and by operating at frequencies up to 250 kHz we are able to discriminate between differently conductive materials based on the induced response. The method is suited to cover a wide range of driving frequencies and can potentially be used for detecting non-…
We propose an experimental search for an axion-induced oscillating electric dipole moment (OEDM) for electrons using state-of-the-art alkali vapor-cell atomic magnetometers. The axion is a hypothesized new fundamental particle which can resolve the strong charge-parity problem and be a prominent dark matter candidate. This experiment utilizes an atomic magnetometer as both a source of optically polarized electron spins and a magnetic-field sensor. The interaction of the axion field, oscillating at a frequency equal to the axion mass, with an electron spin induces a sizable OEDM of the electron…
