MRI and MEG detection with a single optically pumped magnetometer

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of chip-scale devices arranged in an array, wherein each respective chip-scale device of the plurality of chip-scale devices includes:
• a radio frequency atomic magnetometer that includes:
• a laser configured to emit laser light;
• a photodetector;
• a vapor cell in an optical path of the laser light between the laser and photodetector;
• and
• a circular polarizer configured to circularly polarize the laser light emitted by the laser to create a circularly polarized laser beam, wherein the circularly polarized laser beam is single beam configured to pump into an oriented state, spins of atoms in the vapor cell and to probe the atoms in the vapor cell, wherein probing includes detecting a local radio frequency field;
• one or more flux transformer coils configured to couple radio frequency signals from a source to the radio frequency atomic magnetometer;
• and
• a set of direct current (DC) coils comprising at least one coil, wherein the set of DC coils is configured to generate a DC magnetic field oriented at 45 degrees relative to an optical axis of the laser light emitted by the laser.

A system, comprising:

• a chip-scale device that includes:
• a radio frequency atomic magnetometer that includes:
• a laser configured to emit laser light;
• a photodetector;
• a vapor cell in an optical path of the laser light between the laser and photodetector;
• and
• a circular polarizer configured to circularly polarize the laser light emitted by the laser to create a circularly polarized laser beam, wherein the circularly polarized laser beam is a single beam configured to pump into an oriented state, spins of atoms in the vapor cell and to probe the atoms in the vapor cell, wherein probing includes detecting a local radio frequency field;
• one or more flux transformer coils configured to couple radio frequency signals from a source to the radio frequency atomic magnetometer;
• and
• a set of direct current (DC) coils comprising at least one coil, wherein the set of DC coils is configured to generate a DC magnetic field oriented at 45 degrees relative to an optical axis of the laser light emitted by the laser;
• a second magnetometer configured to detect an external DC field;
• and
• one or more processors communicatively coupled to the chip-scale device and the second magnetometer;
• wherein the system is configured to operate in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) mode of operation and a magnetoencephalography (MEG) mode of operation.