Open AccessHigh spatial resolution multi-channel optically pumped atomic magnetometer based on a spatial light modulator
Author(s) -
Xiujie Fang,
Kai Wei,
Tian Zhao,
Yueyang Zhai,
Dra Ma,
Bozheng Xing,
Ying Liu,
Zhisong Xiao
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.398540
Subject(s) - magnetometer , image resolution , optics , magnetic field , temporal resolution , physics , sensitivity (control systems) , materials science , spatial light modulator , resolution (logic) , electronic engineering , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , computer science , engineering
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.