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Photonics

Nonzero-Order Resonances in Single-Beam Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free Magnetometers

Kun Wang, Kaixuan Zhang, Nuozhou Xu, Yifan Yan, Xiaoyu Li, Binquan Zhou

Published Apr 15, 2023• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Zero-field optically pumped magnetometers operating in the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) regime have been extensively studied, and usually depend on zeroth-order parametric resonance to measure the magnetic field. However, the studies conducted on this topic lack thorough analyses and in-depth discussion of nonzero-order magnetic resonances in single-beam SERF magnetometers. In this paper, we analyzed the nonzero-order resonance, especially the first-order resonance, based on a single-beam SERF magnetometer, and discussed its various applications. A comprehensive theoretical analysis and experiments were conducted with respect to multiple functions, including nonzero finite magnetic field measurements, spin polarization measurement, and in situ coil constant calibration. The results showed that first-order resonance can be utilized for nonzerofinite magnetic field measurements, and the spin polarization of alkali-metal atoms can be determined by measuring the slowing-down factor using the resonance condition. Furthermore, acquiring the first-order resonance point at an equivalent zero pump light power through fitting offers an approach for quick and precise in situ coil constant calibration. This study contributes to the applications of SERF magnetometers in nonzero finite magnetic fields.

DOI
10.3390/photonics10040458

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Zero-field optically pumped magnetometers operating in the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) regime have been extensively studied, and usually depend on zeroth-order parametric resonance to measure the magnetic field. However, the studies conducted on this topic lack thorough analyses and in-depth discussion of nonzero-order magnetic resonances in single-beam SERF magnetometers. In this paper, we analyzed the nonzero-order resonance, especially the first-order resonance, based on a single-beam SERF magnetometer, and discussed its various applications. A comprehensive theoretical analysis and experiments were conducted with respect to multiple functions, including nonzero finite magnetic field measurements, spin polarization measurement, and in situ coil constant calibration. The results showed that first-order resonance can be utilized for nonzerofinite magnetic field measurements, and the spin polarization of alkali-metal atoms can be determined by measuring the slowing-down factor using the resonance condition. Furthermore, acquiring the first-order resonance point at an equivalent zero pump light power through fitting offers an approach for quick and precise in situ coil constant calibration. This study contributes to the applications of SERF magnetometers in nonzero finite magnetic fields.
In this article, we propose an in situ method to calibrate the magnetic-field coil systems in optically-pumped magnetometers. The method is based on parametric resonance induced by nonresonant radio-frequency (RF) fields, and is especially suitable for microfabricated single-beam zero-field atomic magnetometers. We have experimentally and theoretically demonstrated this method with a single-beam spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) magnetometer, and the experiment results are in line with theoretical expectations.
The electronic spin polarization of alkali-metal-vapor atoms is a pivotal parameter for atomic magnetometers. Herein, a novel method is presented for determining the spin polarization with a miniaturized single-beam spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) magnetometer on the basis of zero-field cross-over resonance. Two separate laser beams are utilized to heat the cell and interrogate the vapor atoms, respectively. Spin polarization can be extracted by measuring the resonance response signal of the magnetometer to the transverse magnetic field under different irradiances. Results of these experiments are consistent well with the theoretical predictions with the maximum deviation less than 4%. The proposed method has the integrated advantages of possessing a simple configuration and in-situ measurement. Furthermore, combined with a homemade optical differential detection system with a factor of approximately three of the power noise suppression, the developed single-beam SERF atomic magnetometer with a measuring sensitivity of 32 fT/Hz 1/2 has been achieved. This demonstrated approach can help guide the development of chip-scale atomic magnetometers for bio-magnetic field imaging applications.
It is demonstrated that a spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer can be used for scalar measurements with no additional hardware. Because of relaxation processes, an ensemble of alkali atoms needs a constant supply of polarized photons by a pump beam to maintain a polarized state. If the pump beam is shuttered off, the system decays to its equilibrium state. For a low enough relaxation rate and with a magnetic field present, the system will exhibit oscillations at its natural frequencies. In a SERF magnetometer, it happens at the Zeeman resonance frequency of the atoms (Larmor frequency). Thus, shuttering off the pump beam reveals oscillations at the Larmor frequency. From this frequency, one can deduce the scalar value of the applied magnetic field. As a result, all-optical scalar measurements can be performed. At the same time, either one or two vector components of the applied field can be measured by using one or two orthogonal probe beams, respectively. In a low-polarization SERF regime, the ground state can be well described by the Bloch equations for the electron spin polarization. By solving the time-dependent Bloch equations [neglecting the diffusion term and assuming that the nuclear slowing-down factor q(P) is constant], the oscillation frequency of the system is obtained. From this frequency, the scalar value of the applied magnetic field is derived. It is shown that applied fields down to 1 nT can be measured with a 0.1% relative uncertainty. Fields down to 50 pT can be measured with a 10% relative uncertainty. The time dependence acquired in the “off” periods is strongly correlated with the Zeeman sublevels population of the atomic ground state and reveals its spin dynamics.
In this paper, we experimentally study transient dynamics of spin polarized atoms in the spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) regime with a single-beam configuration. We pumped atoms with a weak detuning pumping beam, along with a sequence of magnetic field pulses orthogonal to the pumping beam were applied. The dynamics of atomic spin, which experiences Larmor precession under the perturbation of magnetic field, is detected by the transmitted pumping beam. Benefited from the long coherence time of atomic spin in the SERF regime, the dependence of precession frequency and decay rate, which is equal to the magnetic resonance linewidth of atomic spin, on magnetic fields is studied with the transient dynamics of atomic spin in the limit of low spin polarization. Moreover, we demonstrate that coil constants can be calibrated by analyzing the precession frequency of the transient dynamics of atomic spin. And the experimental results show that the coil constants are 114.25 ± 0.02 nT/mA and 114.12 ± 0.04 nT/mA in x- and y-axis, respectively. This method is particularly applicable to study the atomic spin dynamics and calibrate the coil constant in situ of a miniature single-beam SERF magnetometer.
Abstract A single-beam spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometer can extract vector magnetic field information by detecting the transmission intensity of a resonant circularly polarized pumping beam, which depends sensitively on the atomic density of the alkali metal. We present a novel scheme to determine atomic density based on zero-field magnetic resonance. The resonance linewidth under different transverse DC magnetic fields is fitted by means of a quadratic function. The atomic density can be extracted from the quadratic coefficients of the fitted function. The experimental results indicate that the deviation of measured density is less than two times compared with the theoretical values between 378 K and 403 K. Furthermore, the influence of modulation field on resonance linewidth is investigated experimentally and theoretically. A miniature single-beam SERF atomic magnetometer with a sensor head volume of only 16.2 cm 3 and the measuring sensitivity of 40 fT/ Hz 1/2 has been achieved. These results should be beneficial for guiding the development of a chip-scale atomic magnetometer with high sensitivity and spatial resolution for bio-magnetic field imaging applications.
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.