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Vector Magnetometer Using Rb Vapor

Kevin C. Cox

Published May 4, 2011• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

This project demonstrates an optical method for measuring the strength and\ndirection of a magnetic field using electromagnetically induced transparency\n(EIT) in rubidium vapor. In rubidium atoms, the Zeeman effect causes atomic\nstates to shift when an external magnetic field is applied. The magnitude of\nthese shifts, and consequently the strength of the magnetic field, can be measured\nby recording electromagnetically induced transparency resonances with\ntuned laser fields. Furthermore, since the atom's interaction with the laser field\nis dependent on the direction of the magnetic field and the laser polarization,\nwe are able to determine the direction as well as the strength of the magnetic\nfield by analyzing relative intensities of EIT resonances. With a feasible precision\ndown to 10 picoTesla and the possibility of complete field mapping, this\nmagnetometer can be useful for medical, geophysical, and materials testing\napplications.

Related papers

Three-Dimensional Magnetic Mapping using Electromagnetically Induced Transparency and the Effects of Retro-reflected Light on EIT

Jacob A. Fry

The objective of this project is to create an optical vector magnetometer. When completed, this device will use the EIT resonances of Rubidium vapor to create a three dimensional vector map of an unknown magnetic field. In this paper, we report on two important capabilities of such a device. First, we demonstrate its potential for magnetic field detection of non-transparent targets by retro-reflecting the probe laser back through our target cell. We observe that the electromagnetically induced transparency signals (EIT) change neither frequency nor shape when retro-reflected. Second, we report the direct measurement of both magnitude and direction of an applied magnetic field is possible. We accomplish this by measuring the magnetic field along two perpendicular directions. Each measurement direction yields a plane that contains the magnetic field vector, and we show that the magnetic field vector is the intersection of the two planes.

•Jul 17, 2012•0 citations

Vector atomic magnetometer based on EIT in Rb vapor

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By analyzing the relative frequencies and amplitude of multiple electromagnetically induced transparency resonances in external magnetic field, we achieve scalar magnetometer sensitivity <5pT/Hz, and can determine the B-field direction with angular sensitivity < 1° using machine learning and optical lock techniques in a 100 mm3 atomic vapor cell.

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On the Development of an Optical Rubidium Vector Atomic Magnetometer

James McKelvy, Irina V. Novikova, Eugeniy E. Mikhailov +6 more

The precise measurement of magnetic fields is a fundamental tool of remote sensing. However, accurately measuring the direction of magnetic fields is challenging with atomic magnetometers. In this work, we discuss progress on the development of an all-optical vector atomic magnetometer that uses electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) on87Rb vapor. The magnitude of the magnetic field is evaluated by measuring the separation of the laser transmission peaks of the Zeeman-resolved EIT spectra, and the direction is measured by evaluating the relative peak contrast using a lightweight machine learning algorithm involving principal component analysis (PCA). We have demonstrated a scalar sensitivity of $ < 10pT/\sqrt {Hz} $ in the 1–100 Hz band and an angular accuracy of < 1°. This approach for vector magnetometry does not require an array of sensors or calibration coils, ultimately setting the groundwork for the design of a new magnetometer that is lighter and more accurate than conventional vector magnetometer configurations.

IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS)•Jul 16, 2023•2 citations

Vector atomic magnetometer based on EIT

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Here, we describe progress toward realization of a vector magnetometer based on all-optical excitation of an atomic ensemble in a vapor cell under the conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The EIT resonance amplitudes depend on relative orientations of the three key vectors: laser wave-vector, polarization, and the direction of the magnetic field. By analyzing possible two-photon transitions and their combinations, we can, in principle, analytically calculate the amplitude of various EIT resonances as functions of the relative angles between the magnetic field, polarization and laser propagation vectors. By locking the polarization to one of these maxima, one can determine the plane formed by the magnetic field and the light wave vector to the accuracy better than 0.001 rad. Analysis of the relative resonance amplitude may be used to extract the full information about the magnetic field direction.

Optical and Quantum Sensing and Precision Metrology II•Mar 8, 2023•0 citations

Measurements of the magnetic field vector using multiple electromagnetically induced transparency resonances in Rb vapor

Kevin C. Cox, Valeriy I. Yudin, А. В. Тайченачев +2 more

We study the dependence of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) resonance amplitudes on the external magnetic field direction in a linearly polarized bichromatic light ($\mathit{lin}||\mathit{lin}$) configuration in $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ vapor. We demonstrate that all seven resolvable EIT resonances exhibit maxima or minima at certain orientations of the laser polarization relative to the wave vector and magnetic field. This effect can be used for the development of a high-precision EIT vector magnetometer.

arXiv:1011.0503•Physical Review A•Jan 14, 2011•94 citations

Sensitivity of a vector atomic magnetometer based on electromagnetically induced transparency

Irina V. Novikova, Eugeniy E. Mikhailov, John E. Kitching +8 more

We present a realization of a magnetic sensor based on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) resonances observed in hot Rb vapor using lin$\parallel$lin polarized dichromatic light and evaluate scalar and vector capabilities of the sensor for measuring Earth-like magnetic fields. We demonstrate scalar measurement sensitivity of 2 pT/Hz^1/2 in the 1-100~Hz spectral frequency band using a cm^3 Rb vapor cell, significantly improving the performance for such a configuration if compared with earlier measurements of large magnetic fields. By using a single linearly polarized dichromatic optical field, we are also able to determine the direction of the magnetic field with respect to the light propagation direction and polarization, taking advantage of the symmetries of the interaction scheme. We accomplish that by combining the polarization-sensitive transmission measurements and sparse sensing machine learning techniques. A path for further improvement of the sensitivity and elimination of systematic effects, such as heading error, is discussed.

•May 6, 2024•0 citations
This project demonstrates an optical method for measuring the strength and\ndirection of a magnetic field using electromagnetically induced transparency\n(EIT) in rubidium vapor. In rubidium atoms, the Zeeman effect causes atomic\nstates to shift when an external magnetic field is applied. The magnitude of\nthese shifts, and consequently the strength of the magnetic field, can be measured\nby recording electromagnetically induced transparency resonances with\ntuned laser fields. Furthermore, since the atom's interaction with the laser field\nis dependent on the direction of the magnetic field and the laser polarization,\nwe are able to determine the direction as well as the strength of the magnetic\nfield by analyzing relative intensities of EIT resonances. With a feasible precision\ndown to 10 picoTesla and the possibility of complete field mapping, this\nmagnetometer can be useful for medical, geophysical, and materials testing\napplications.
The objective of this project is to create an optical vector magnetometer. When completed, this device will use the EIT resonances of Rubidium vapor to create a three dimensional vector map of an unknown magnetic field. In this paper, we report on two important capabilities of such a device. First, we demonstrate its potential for magnetic field detection of non-transparent targets by retro-reflecting the probe laser back through our target cell. We observe that the electromagnetically induced transparency signals (EIT) change neither frequency nor shape when retro-reflected. Second, we report the direct measurement of both magnitude and direction of an applied magnetic field is possible. We accomplish this by measuring the magnetic field along two perpendicular directions. Each measurement direction yields a plane that contains the magnetic field vector, and we show that the magnetic field vector is the intersection of the two planes.
The precise measurement of magnetic fields is a fundamental tool of remote sensing. However, accurately measuring the direction of magnetic fields is challenging with atomic magnetometers. In this work, we discuss progress on the development of an all-optical vector atomic magnetometer that uses electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) on87Rb vapor. The magnitude of the magnetic field is evaluated by measuring the separation of the laser transmission peaks of the Zeeman-resolved EIT spectra, and the direction is measured by evaluating the relative peak contrast using a lightweight machine learning algorithm involving principal component analysis (PCA). We have demonstrated a scalar sensitivity of $ < 10pT/\sqrt {Hz} $ in the 1–100 Hz band and an angular accuracy of < 1°. This approach for vector magnetometry does not require an array of sensors or calibration coils, ultimately setting the groundwork for the design of a new magnetometer that is lighter and more accurate than conventional vector magnetometer configurations.
Here, we describe progress toward realization of a vector magnetometer based on all-optical excitation of an atomic ensemble in a vapor cell under the conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The EIT resonance amplitudes depend on relative orientations of the three key vectors: laser wave-vector, polarization, and the direction of the magnetic field. By analyzing possible two-photon transitions and their combinations, we can, in principle, analytically calculate the amplitude of various EIT resonances as functions of the relative angles between the magnetic field, polarization and laser propagation vectors. By locking the polarization to one of these maxima, one can determine the plane formed by the magnetic field and the light wave vector to the accuracy better than 0.001 rad. Analysis of the relative resonance amplitude may be used to extract the full information about the magnetic field direction.
We study the dependence of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) resonance amplitudes on the external magnetic field direction in a linearly polarized bichromatic light (lin∣∣lin\mathit{lin}||\mathit{lin}lin∣∣lin) configuration in 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb vapor. We demonstrate that all seven resolvable EIT resonances exhibit maxima or minima at certain orientations of the laser polarization relative to the wave vector and magnetic field. This effect can be used for the development of a high-precision EIT vector magnetometer.
We present a realization of a magnetic sensor based on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) resonances observed in hot Rb vapor using lin∥\parallel∥lin polarized dichromatic light and evaluate scalar and vector capabilities of the sensor for measuring Earth-like magnetic fields. We demonstrate scalar measurement sensitivity of 2 pT/Hz^1/2 in the 1-100~Hz spectral frequency band using a cm^3 Rb vapor cell, significantly improving the performance for such a configuration if compared with earlier measurements of large magnetic fields. By using a single linearly polarized dichromatic optical field, we are also able to determine the direction of the magnetic field with respect to the light propagation direction and polarization, taking advantage of the symmetries of the interaction scheme. We accomplish that by combining the polarization-sensitive transmission measurements and sparse sensing machine learning techniques. A path for further improvement of the sensitivity and elimination of systematic effects, such as heading error, is discussed.