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

An Accurate Vector Magnetometer via Zeeman Rabi Oscillations

Thanmay S. Menon, D. P. Hewatt, Christopher Kiehl, Michaela Ellmeier, Svenja Knappe, Cindy A. Regal

Published May 11, 2026• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Data for Menon, T. S., Hewatt, D. P., Kiehl, C., Ellmeier, M., Knappe, S., & Regal, C. A. (2026). An Accurate Vector Magnetometer via Zeeman Rabi Oscillations. arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.08594.
DOI
10.5281/zenodo.20122774

Related papers

Accurate vector magnetometer via Zeeman Rabi oscillations

Thanmay S. Menon, D. P. Hewatt, Christopher Kiehl +3 more

Physical Review Applied•Oct 1, 2026•0 citations

An accurate Rabi vector magnetometer

Christopher Kiehl, Tobias Thiele, Daniel Wagner +2 more

Bulletin of the American Physical Society•Jun 1, 2021•0 citations

Towards a compact accurate vector-scalar atomic magnetometer

Juniper W. Pollock, Svenja A. Knappe

Optical and Quantum Sensing and Precision Metrology II•Mar 13, 2024•0 citations

An Accurate Vector Magnetometer via Zeeman Rabi Oscillations

Thanmay S. Menon, D. P. Hewatt, Christopher Kiehl +3 more

Accurate magnetic field direction sensing in compact platforms is critical in applications spanning magnetic navigation, space science, and biomedical imaging. We demonstrate a single-optical-axis vector optically pumped magnetometer based on Rabi oscillations between Zeeman sublevels driven by a series of resonant radiofrequency (RF) polarization ellipses (PEs). A calibration protocol based on controlled rotations of the DC magnetic field determines the spatial orientation of each PE. We develop a detailed theoretical model describing the angular dependence of the Rabi frequencies, incorporating key systematics including RF Stark shifts and Bloch-Siegert shifts. We also account for an RF-based heading-error systematic affecting Rabi-frequency measurements arising from the nonlinear Zeeman effect. Simultaneous Larmor measurements yield the magnitude of the magnetic field, enabling integrated vector-scalar measurements. The magnetometer achieves deadzone-free vector operation with 80 $μ$rad mean angular accuracy and angular noise densities as low as 8 $μ$rad$/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$, offering a pathway towards miniaturized sensors without requiring 3D optical access or sensor rotations.

arXiv:2603.08594•Mar 9, 2026•0 citations

Accurate vector optically pumped magnetometer with microwave-driven Rabi frequency measurements

Christopher Kiehl, Thanmay S. Menon, Svenja A. Knappe +2 more

Robust calibration of vector optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) is a nontrivial task, but increasingly important for applications requiring high-accuracy such as magnetic navigation, geophysics research, and space exploration. Here, we showcase a vector OPM that utilizes Rabi oscillations driven between the hyperfine manifolds of 87 Rb to measure the direction of a DC magnetic field against the polarization ellipse structure of a microwave field. By relying solely on atomic measurements—free-induction decay (FID) signals and Rabi measurements across multiple atomic transitions—this sensor can detect drift in the microwave vector reference and compensate for systematic shifts caused by off-resonant driving, nonlinear Zeeman (NLZ) effects, and buffer gas collisions. To facilitate deadzone-free operation, we also introduce a Rabi measurement that utilizes dressed-state resonances that appear during simultaneous Larmor precession and Rabi driving (SPaR). These measurements, performed within a microfabricated vapor cell platform, achieve an average vector accuracy of 0.46 mrad and vector sensitivities down to 11µrad/Hz for geomagnetic field strengths near 50 µT. This performance surpasses the challenging 1-deg (17 mrad) accuracy threshold of several contemporary OPM methods utilizing atomic vapors with an electromagnetic vector reference.

arXiv:2409.09885•Optica•Dec 11, 2024•10 citations

Absolute vector magnetometry with atomic vapor by referencing to microwave polarization

Christopher Kiehl, Tobias Thiele, Daniel Wagner +4 more

Bulletin of the American Physical Society•Jun 2, 2020•0 citations
Accurate magnetic field direction sensing in compact platforms is critical in applications spanning magnetic navigation, space science, and biomedical imaging. We demonstrate a single-optical-axis vector optically pumped magnetometer based on Rabi oscillations between Zeeman sublevels driven by a series of resonant radiofrequency (RF) polarization ellipses (PEs). A calibration protocol based on controlled rotations of the DC magnetic field determines the spatial orientation of each PE. We develop a detailed theoretical model describing the angular dependence of the Rabi frequencies, incorporating key systematics including RF Stark shifts and Bloch-Siegert shifts. We also account for an RF-based heading-error systematic affecting Rabi-frequency measurements arising from the nonlinear Zeeman effect. Simultaneous Larmor measurements yield the magnitude of the magnetic field, enabling integrated vector-scalar measurements. The magnetometer achieves deadzone-free vector operation with 80 μμμrad mean angular accuracy and angular noise densities as low as 8 μμμrad/Hz/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}/Hz​, offering a pathway towards miniaturized sensors without requiring 3D optical access or sensor rotations.
Robust calibration of vector optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) is a nontrivial task, but increasingly important for applications requiring high-accuracy such as magnetic navigation, geophysics research, and space exploration. Here, we showcase a vector OPM that utilizes Rabi oscillations driven between the hyperfine manifolds of 87 Rb to measure the direction of a DC magnetic field against the polarization ellipse structure of a microwave field. By relying solely on atomic measurements—free-induction decay (FID) signals and Rabi measurements across multiple atomic transitions—this sensor can detect drift in the microwave vector reference and compensate for systematic shifts caused by off-resonant driving, nonlinear Zeeman (NLZ) effects, and buffer gas collisions. To facilitate deadzone-free operation, we also introduce a Rabi measurement that utilizes dressed-state resonances that appear during simultaneous Larmor precession and Rabi driving (SPaR). These measurements, performed within a microfabricated vapor cell platform, achieve an average vector accuracy of 0.46 mrad and vector sensitivities down to 11µrad/Hz for geomagnetic field strengths near 50 µT. This performance surpasses the challenging 1-deg (17 mrad) accuracy threshold of several contemporary OPM methods utilizing atomic vapors with an electromagnetic vector reference.