Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Photonics

A Novel Measurement Method for Spin Polarization Three Axis Spatial Distribution in Spin-Exchange Relaxation Free Atomic Magnetometer

Xiujie Fang, Jin Chun Li, Yanning Ma, Kai Wei, Wenfeng Fan, Yueyang Zhai, Wei Quan, Zhisong Xiao

Published Mar 20, 2023• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The measurement of atomic spin polarization distribution in spin-exchange relaxation free (SERF) magnetometer is an important topic for improving the sensitivity and consistency of multi-channel magnetic field measurement applications. A novel spin polarization spatial distribution measurement method is presented based on the transient response of the magnetometer after modulating the pumped light with a chopper. Polarization is obtained by a slow-down factor based on the fast spin-exchange interaction effects. Longitudinal and transverse polarization distributions are measured simultaneously without interrupting the operation of the SERF status. Under different oscillating magnetic fields, the spin polarization is measured at the cell centroid. Residual magnetic field inside the magnetometer is obtained from the linear relationship between the precession frequency and the oscillating magnetic field. The one-dimensional polarization distributions in the x, y, and z axes are measured using a digital micromirror device with a resolution of 0.25 cm. The measurement results conform to the Lambert-Bier absorption law and the Gaussian distribution law. Furthermore, 7 × 7 two-dimensional spatial distribution measurements of polarization on the xy and yz planes are performed. Nonuniformity of 1.04 in the xy plane and 1.82 in the yz plane in the built magnetometer. Compared with other measurement methods, the distribution measurement method proposed is independent of optical depth and suitable for low polarization and high polarization applications. Based on the results of the proposed measurement method of spin polarization spatial distribution, further compensation can improve the application consistency of multi-channel magnetic field measurements and improve the sensitivity of single-channel differential measurements.

DOI
10.3390/photonics10030332

Related papers

Determination of Spin Polarization in Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free Atomic Magnetometer Using Transient Response

Junpeng Zhao, Ming Ding, Jixi Lu +5 more

A novel method to determine the spin polarization and its distribution for a spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer are proposed in this paper. The Larmor precession frequency is measured using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis result of the transient response of the magnetometer under the excitation of a series of the step-changed magnetic field. The spin polarization is extracted from the slow-down factor of the precession frequency. The variation of the spin polarization with different pump light intensities and the distribution of the spin polarization along the direction of the pump light are analyzed, and the experimental results are well consistent with the theoretical predictions. The expanded uncertainties of the experimental results vary from 2% to 11% with the increase of the spin polarization and the reason for this variation is analyzed. The advantage of this method is that it allows the accurate measurement of the spin polarization in the pump beam direction within the SERF regime operating state, and it is unaffected by the large optical depth of the vapor cell.

IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement•Apr 27, 2019•67 citations

High spatial resolution multi-channel optically pumped atomic magnetometer based on a spatial light modulator

Xiujie Fang, Kai Wei, Tian Zhao +5 more

Ultra-sensitive multi-channel optically pumped atomic magnetometers based on the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) effect are powerful tools for applications in the field of magnetic imaging. To simultaneously achieve ultra-high spatial resolution and ultra-high magnetic field sensitivity, we proposed a high-resolution multi-channel SERF atomic magnetometer for two-dimensional magnetic field measurements based on a digital micro-mirror device (DMD) as the spatial light modulator for a single vapor cell. Under the optimal experimental conditions obtained via spatial and temporal modulation of the probe light, we first demonstrated that the average sensitivity of the proposed 25-channel magnetometer was approximately 25fT/Hz 1/2 with a spatial resolution of 216µm. Then, we measured the magnetic field distribution generated by a gradient coil and compared the experimentally obtained distributions with those calculated via finite element simulation. The obtained g value of 99.2% indicated good agreement between our experimental results and the theoretical calculations, thereby confirming that our proposed multi-channel SERF magnetometer was effective at measuring magnetic field distributions with an ultra-high spatial resolution.

Optics Express•Aug 14, 2020•46 citations

Measurement of Equilibrium Spin Polarization in Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free Atomic Magnetometers via the Steady-State Response to the Triaxial Magnetic Field

Faming Wang, Xiujie Fang, Bozheng Xing +5 more

This study proposes an in situ method for measuring the equilibrium spin polarization and its longitudinal spatial distribution in a spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer. The total relaxation rate was determined by analyzing the steady-state response of the magnetometer to the triaxial magnetic field. The transfer coefficient between spin polarization along the probe beam axis and the steady-state response was derived from the optical depth of the probe light and the incident/transmitted power through the vapor cell. By applying a DC magnetic field along the sensitive axis and combining the total relaxation rate with the transfer coefficient, the equilibrium spin polarization value under zero-field conditions was obtained. The equilibrium spin polarization distribution along the pump beam propagation direction was measured, showing consistent trends with simulation results, with a maximum relative error of less than 5%. The expanded uncertainty of the proposed equilibrium spin polarization measurement method ranges from 0.8% to 9.7%. The advantages of this method include no requirement for additional optical field or magnetic field modulation, immunity to temperature and temperature gradients, and the capability to directly determine the equilibrium spin polarization value.

IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement•Jan 1, 2025•7 citations

Two Dimensional Three-Axis Magnetic Field Distribution Measurement by SERF Atomic Magnetometer Using Spatial Light Modulation

Shuying Wang, Bo Li, Yujie Qian +3 more

The spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer has high sensitivity for magnetic field measurement, and is of great significance in frontier physics research, biomagnetic detection and other fields. In recent years, as one of the important development directions, its high spatial resolution and multi-channel magnetic field detection capabilities have been further extended. In this paper, based on the three-axis in-situ magnetic field zeroing method (MFZM), the accurate measurement of three-axis static magnetic field is realized, and the using of the digital micro-mirror device (DMD) further supports the measurement of two-dimensional three-axis magnetic field distribution in a specific area. Then, the experimental system was set up and realized the three-axis magnetic field measurement of 25 points within the 4 mm × 4 mm two-dimensional measurement range, and the resolution of each point is a square area with a side length of 0.8 mm. The proposed method based on the SERF atomic magnetometer can measure the triaxial magnetic field in the internal micro-regions in the magnetic field coil, magnetic shield, etc., helping the analysis and evaluation of the high-resolution magnetic field distribution.

IEEE International Conference on Electronic Measurement & Instruments•Aug 9, 2023•0 citations

Measurement of Relaxation Mechanism for the Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free Magnetometer

Jin Peng, An‐Ning Xu, Yiran Yin +1 more

The spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer (AM) has vital importance in advanced research and has been widely applied in different fields. To improve the sensitivity and robustness of SERF magnetometers, understanding the relaxation mechanism is a significant approach. By controlling the amplitude and direction of external magnetic fields, and switching statuses of the pump and probe laser beam, we measured both the transverse and longitudinal relaxation rate in two experimental methods, respectively, and obtained the Larmor precession frequency, the spin-exchange relaxation rate, the spin-destruction relaxation rate, and the relaxation rate due to collisions between atoms and vapor cell walls. All experimental results are verified with the theoretical calculations. The final longitudinal relaxation rate of our magnetometer is 53 Hz. Furthermore, we measured the sensitivity of our SERF magnetometer reaching 5 fT/Hz1/2 from 5 to 70 Hz after differential measurement with the 3-dB bandwidth of 70 Hz. Our work helps to improve the detection capability of SERF magnetometers, providing performance assurance for searching for exotic spin-dependent interactions and applications, including magnetoencephalograms and magnetocardiograms.

IEEE Sensors Journal•Dec 7, 2023•11 citations

Measuring Spin Polarization of a Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free Atomic Magnetometer at Extremely Large Optical Depths

Yanning Ma, Jixi Lu, Ke Yang +5 more

This paper presents a method for measuring the spin polarization of spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometers at extremely large optical depths. Owing to the slowing-down effect, the spin polarization can be extracted by measuring the slowing-down factor extracted from the precession frequency. However, this technique is limited by a significant error in the regime of extremely large optical depths, where the pump beam intensity for achieving the optimized spin polarization of alkali atoms is significantly increased. We observed that the instantaneous precession frequency measured in the regime where the spin-exchange rate is not much larger than the Larmor frequency was no longer a constant but varied with the pump beam intensity. Thus, a method for measuring spin polarization based on the ratio of the precession frequency to the measured instantaneous precession frequency is proposed. Based on the proposed method, the spin polarization at a temperature of 473K and optical depth of 64 is measured. The measurement results were accordant with theoretical analysis. The expanded uncertainties of the experimental results varied between 1.8% and 9.6%. The proposed method is also applicable to other atomic devices operated in the SERF regime with extremely large optical depths, such as co-magnetometers and atomic spin gyroscopes.

IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement•Jan 1, 2022•8 citations
The measurement of atomic spin polarization distribution in spin-exchange relaxation free (SERF) magnetometer is an important topic for improving the sensitivity and consistency of multi-channel magnetic field measurement applications. A novel spin polarization spatial distribution measurement method is presented based on the transient response of the magnetometer after modulating the pumped light with a chopper. Polarization is obtained by a slow-down factor based on the fast spin-exchange interaction effects. Longitudinal and transverse polarization distributions are measured simultaneously without interrupting the operation of the SERF status. Under different oscillating magnetic fields, the spin polarization is measured at the cell centroid. Residual magnetic field inside the magnetometer is obtained from the linear relationship between the precession frequency and the oscillating magnetic field. The one-dimensional polarization distributions in the x, y, and z axes are measured using a digital micromirror device with a resolution of 0.25 cm. The measurement results conform to the Lambert-Bier absorption law and the Gaussian distribution law. Furthermore, 7 × 7 two-dimensional spatial distribution measurements of polarization on the xy and yz planes are performed. Nonuniformity of 1.04 in the xy plane and 1.82 in the yz plane in the built magnetometer. Compared with other measurement methods, the distribution measurement method proposed is independent of optical depth and suitable for low polarization and high polarization applications. Based on the results of the proposed measurement method of spin polarization spatial distribution, further compensation can improve the application consistency of multi-channel magnetic field measurements and improve the sensitivity of single-channel differential measurements.
A novel method to determine the spin polarization and its distribution for a spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer are proposed in this paper. The Larmor precession frequency is measured using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis result of the transient response of the magnetometer under the excitation of a series of the step-changed magnetic field. The spin polarization is extracted from the slow-down factor of the precession frequency. The variation of the spin polarization with different pump light intensities and the distribution of the spin polarization along the direction of the pump light are analyzed, and the experimental results are well consistent with the theoretical predictions. The expanded uncertainties of the experimental results vary from 2% to 11% with the increase of the spin polarization and the reason for this variation is analyzed. The advantage of this method is that it allows the accurate measurement of the spin polarization in the pump beam direction within the SERF regime operating state, and it is unaffected by the large optical depth of the vapor cell.
Ultra-sensitive multi-channel optically pumped atomic magnetometers based on the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) effect are powerful tools for applications in the field of magnetic imaging. To simultaneously achieve ultra-high spatial resolution and ultra-high magnetic field sensitivity, we proposed a high-resolution multi-channel SERF atomic magnetometer for two-dimensional magnetic field measurements based on a digital micro-mirror device (DMD) as the spatial light modulator for a single vapor cell. Under the optimal experimental conditions obtained via spatial and temporal modulation of the probe light, we first demonstrated that the average sensitivity of the proposed 25-channel magnetometer was approximately 25fT/Hz 1/2 with a spatial resolution of 216µm. Then, we measured the magnetic field distribution generated by a gradient coil and compared the experimentally obtained distributions with those calculated via finite element simulation. The obtained g value of 99.2% indicated good agreement between our experimental results and the theoretical calculations, thereby confirming that our proposed multi-channel SERF magnetometer was effective at measuring magnetic field distributions with an ultra-high spatial resolution.
This study proposes an in situ method for measuring the equilibrium spin polarization and its longitudinal spatial distribution in a spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer. The total relaxation rate was determined by analyzing the steady-state response of the magnetometer to the triaxial magnetic field. The transfer coefficient between spin polarization along the probe beam axis and the steady-state response was derived from the optical depth of the probe light and the incident/transmitted power through the vapor cell. By applying a DC magnetic field along the sensitive axis and combining the total relaxation rate with the transfer coefficient, the equilibrium spin polarization value under zero-field conditions was obtained. The equilibrium spin polarization distribution along the pump beam propagation direction was measured, showing consistent trends with simulation results, with a maximum relative error of less than 5%. The expanded uncertainty of the proposed equilibrium spin polarization measurement method ranges from 0.8% to 9.7%. The advantages of this method include no requirement for additional optical field or magnetic field modulation, immunity to temperature and temperature gradients, and the capability to directly determine the equilibrium spin polarization value.
The spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer has high sensitivity for magnetic field measurement, and is of great significance in frontier physics research, biomagnetic detection and other fields. In recent years, as one of the important development directions, its high spatial resolution and multi-channel magnetic field detection capabilities have been further extended. In this paper, based on the three-axis in-situ magnetic field zeroing method (MFZM), the accurate measurement of three-axis static magnetic field is realized, and the using of the digital micro-mirror device (DMD) further supports the measurement of two-dimensional three-axis magnetic field distribution in a specific area. Then, the experimental system was set up and realized the three-axis magnetic field measurement of 25 points within the 4 mm × 4 mm two-dimensional measurement range, and the resolution of each point is a square area with a side length of 0.8 mm. The proposed method based on the SERF atomic magnetometer can measure the triaxial magnetic field in the internal micro-regions in the magnetic field coil, magnetic shield, etc., helping the analysis and evaluation of the high-resolution magnetic field distribution.
The spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer (AM) has vital importance in advanced research and has been widely applied in different fields. To improve the sensitivity and robustness of SERF magnetometers, understanding the relaxation mechanism is a significant approach. By controlling the amplitude and direction of external magnetic fields, and switching statuses of the pump and probe laser beam, we measured both the transverse and longitudinal relaxation rate in two experimental methods, respectively, and obtained the Larmor precession frequency, the spin-exchange relaxation rate, the spin-destruction relaxation rate, and the relaxation rate due to collisions between atoms and vapor cell walls. All experimental results are verified with the theoretical calculations. The final longitudinal relaxation rate of our magnetometer is 53 Hz. Furthermore, we measured the sensitivity of our SERF magnetometer reaching 5 fT/Hz1/2 from 5 to 70 Hz after differential measurement with the 3-dB bandwidth of 70 Hz. Our work helps to improve the detection capability of SERF magnetometers, providing performance assurance for searching for exotic spin-dependent interactions and applications, including magnetoencephalograms and magnetocardiograms.
This paper presents a method for measuring the spin polarization of spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometers at extremely large optical depths. Owing to the slowing-down effect, the spin polarization can be extracted by measuring the slowing-down factor extracted from the precession frequency. However, this technique is limited by a significant error in the regime of extremely large optical depths, where the pump beam intensity for achieving the optimized spin polarization of alkali atoms is significantly increased. We observed that the instantaneous precession frequency measured in the regime where the spin-exchange rate is not much larger than the Larmor frequency was no longer a constant but varied with the pump beam intensity. Thus, a method for measuring spin polarization based on the ratio of the precession frequency to the measured instantaneous precession frequency is proposed. Based on the proposed method, the spin polarization at a temperature of 473K and optical depth of 64 is measured. The measurement results were accordant with theoretical analysis. The expanded uncertainties of the experimental results varied between 1.8% and 9.6%. The proposed method is also applicable to other atomic devices operated in the SERF regime with extremely large optical depths, such as co-magnetometers and atomic spin gyroscopes.