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US 8,138,756 B2Granted
Microfiber magnetometer
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsPaul E. Barclay, Raymond G. Beausoleil, Kai-Mei Camilla Fu, Charles M. Santori, Marco Fiorentino
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Abstract
A magnetometer includes a tapered microfiber having a curved portion, an excitation laser in optical communication with the tapered microfiber, and a nanocrystal attached to the curved portion of the tapered microfiber. Laser light emitted from the excitation laser interacts with the nanocrystal to create an emitted photon flux which is monitored to detect a magnetic field passing through the nanocrystal.
Claims13
A magnetometer comprising:
- a tapered microfiber having a curved portion;
- an excitation laser configured to be in optical communication with the tapered microfiber;
- and
- a nanocrystal configured to be attached to the curved portion of the tapered microfiber;
- in which laser light emitted from the excitation laser is coupled to a first end of the tapered microfiber and interacts with the nanocrystal to create an emitted photon flux which is monitored to detect a magnetic field passing through the nanocrystal.
2 more elements
A method for using a microfiber magnetometer for measuring a magnetic field comprises:
- directing electromagnetic radiation from an excitation laser through a first end of an fiber optic cable, wherein the fiber optic cable has been tapered down to form a microfiber loop and has a nanocrystal attached to the microfiber loop;
- applying microwave radiation to the nanocrystal;
- sweeping the microwave radiation through a range of frequencies;
- monitoring photon flux emitted by a second end of the fiber optic cable for a reduction in photon flux produced by the nanocrystal;
- correlating the reduction in photon flux to an external magnetic field incident on the nanocrystal.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.