Atomic magnetometer system

A method for measuring a scalar component and a vector component of an external magnetic field via a magnetometer system, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of predetermined AC magnetic fields through a sensor cell associated with a magnetometer, the sensor cell comprising an alkali metal vapor;
• providing an optical probe beam and an optical pump beam through the sensor cell in a pulsed manner;
• determining a total magnetic field comprising the external magnetic field and each of the plurality of predetermined AC magnetic fields in response to receiving a detection beam corresponding to the optical probe beam exiting the sensor cell;
• and
• demodulating the total magnetic field based on the plurality of predetermined AC magnetic fields to calculate the scalar component and the vector component of the external magnetic field.

A magnetometer system comprising:

• a plurality of magnetometers, each of the magnetometers comprising:
• a sensor cell comprising alkali metal vapor;
• a magnetic field generator system configured to generate a plurality of predetermined AC magnetic fields through the sensor cell;
• a laser system configured to provide an optical pump beam and an optical probe beam through the sensor cell in a pulsed manner to facilitate precession of the alkali metal vapor and to provide a detection beam corresponding to the optical probe beam exiting the sensor cell, the detection beam exhibiting an optical property corresponding to a modified precession of the alkali metal vapor based on the plurality of predetermined AC magnetic fields and an external magnetic field;
• and
• a detection system configured to monitor the detection beam to detect the modified precession of the alkali metal vapor to calculate a scalar component and to calculate a vector component of the external magnetic field based on the plurality of predetermined AC magnetic fields;
• and
• a magnetic field tensor processor configured to calculate a magnetic field gradient based on the scalar and vector components of the external magnetic field calculated by each of the plurality of magnetometers.