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arXiv:1206.1256 · Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics

A magnetometer suitable for measurement of the Earth's field based on transient atomic response

L. Lenci, S. Barreiro, Paulo Valente, H. Failache, A. Lezama

Published Oct 4, 2012• 27 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We describe the development of a simple atomic magnetometer using 87 Rb vapour suitable for monitoring Earth's magnetic field. 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 Hz −1/2 is demonstrated by the measurement of the Earth's magnetic field in the laboratory, while for a simulated Earth field inside a magnetic shield a 130 pT Hz −1/2 sensitivity was attained. We discuss the various parameters determining the magnetometer precision and accuracy and predict a sensitivity of 30 pT Hz −1/2 .

DOI
10.1088/0953-4075/45/21/215401

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We describe the development of a simple atomic magnetometer using 87 Rb vapour suitable for monitoring Earth's magnetic field. 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 Hz −1/2 is demonstrated by the measurement of the Earth's magnetic field in the laboratory, while for a simulated Earth field inside a magnetic shield a 130 pT Hz −1/2 sensitivity was attained. We discuss the various parameters determining the magnetometer precision and accuracy and predict a sensitivity of 30 pT Hz −1/2 .
We present an implementation of an atomic magnetometer based on free spin precession of optically pumped Rb 87 atoms. The design features a microfabricated vapor cell with an effective volume of 7.1 mm 3 containing isotopically enriched Rb 87 and nitrogen buffer gas. The magnetometer is designed to operate in the Earth-field range, exhibiting a magnetic noise floor of about 147 fT / Hz at field strengths comparable to Earth's magnetic field, i.e., around 50 μ T . This is in close agreement with the Cramér-Rao lower bound of 118 fT / Hz . The good sensitivity as well as the high dynamic range enables a wide range of applications, including magnetocardiography and geomagnetic measurements.
The magnetic field is one of the most fundamental and ubiquitous physical observables, often conveying rich information about its generation source. Atomic magnetometers have been proven to be high-potential techniques for weak magnetic field measurement in various applications. However, due to the lack of excellent frequency-locking ability against abrupt magnetic field changes, atomic magnetometers are limited to use in application scenarios, which require both wide-range and self-locking characteristics. In this paper, theoretical and experimental research for a wide-range and self-locking rubidium atomic magnetometer based on free spin precession is presented. The rubidium atomic magnetometer can track a magnetic field jump of 10,000 nT in the measurement range from 500 nT to 100,500 nT. We also investigate the bandwidth and dead zone of the atomic magnetometer. An atomic magnetometer with excellent self-locking ability in a wide range can be developed into new highly sensitive magnetic measuring devices, enabling geomagnetic measurement in real environments and monitoring the magnetic phase transitions or coercive fields of soft magnetic materials in very magnetic-shielding environments.
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Here we demonstrate an atomic magnetometer that has a bandwidth of more than 100 kHz and a sensitivity of $180\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\mathrm{fT/}\ensuremath{\surd}\mathrm{Hz}$ at a Fourier frequency of 8 Hz, and $0.7\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nT/}\ensuremath{\surd}\mathrm{Hz}$ at 100 kHz. These sensitivity measurements are achieved at geophysically useful magnetic field magnitudes (approximately $50\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{T}$ inside a three-layer $\ensuremath{\mu}$-metal shield) and are limited by the photon shot noise for frequencies above 8 Hz. This device is based on a nonlinear magneto-optical rotation sensor that is operated with an active feedback to the pump modulation frequency. We present a theoretical description of the response functions of the components in the magnetometer. We show that the range of operation of atomic magnetometers can thus be expanded beyond the conventional high-sensitivity, low-bandwidth domain, to provide a high-linearity, high-bandwidth, and high-sensitivity sensor.
Atomic magnetometry was performed at Earth’s magnetic field over a free-space distance of ten meters. Two laser beams aimed at a distant alkali-vapor cell excited and detected the 87Rb magnetic resonance, allowing the magnetic field within the cell to be interrogated remotely. Operated as a driven oscillator, the magnetometer measured the geomagnetic field with ≲3.5 pT precision in a ∼2 s data acquisition; this precision was likely limited by ambient field fluctuations. The sensor was also operated in self-oscillating mode with a 5.3 pT/Hz noise floor. Further optimization will yield a high-bandwidth, fully remote magnetometer with sub-pT sensitivity.
We have developed a field-deployable vector magnetometer using a small rubidium vapor cell, which is capable of measuring the magnitude and direction of the earth's magnetic field with high accuracy and sensitivity. The magnetometer measures Larmor precession of rubidium atoms using the phenomenon, called synchronous coherent population trapping (SCPT). This gives the advantage of producing a high contrast and narrow linewidth resonance needed for measuring the magnetic field with high accuracy and sensitivity. The magnetometer exhibits sub-nT/√Hz sensitivities in measuring the field components along the three directions.