Atomic magnetometer with multiple spatial channels
AssigneeNational Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
InventorsPeter Schwindt, Cort N. Johnson, Yuan-Yu Jau
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Abstract
An atomic magnetometer includes an atomic vapor cell, an optical system conformed to transmit pump radiation and probe radiation through the vapor cell, and an optical detection system arranged to receive and detect probe radiation after it exits the vapor cell. Improvements in the separation of spatial channels are achieved by using a a diffractive optical element arranged to divide at least the pump radiation into a plurality of separate diffracted beams that traverse the vapor cell.
Claims11
Atomic magnetometer apparatus, comprising:
- an atomic vapor cell;
- an optical system conformed to transmit radiation comprising pump light through the vapor cell;
- and
- an optical detection system arranged to receive and detect at least a portion of the transmitted radiation after it exits the vapor cell;
- wherein:
- the optical system comprises a diffractive optical element arranged to divide at least a portion of the transmitted radiation into a plurality of separate diffracted beams that traverse the vapor cell;
- the diffractive optical element is conformed to divide radiation incident thereon into at least four separate beams that traverse the vapor cell;
- the optical system is arranged such that each of the separate diffracted beams that traverse the vapor cell contains radiation at both a pump wavelength and a probe wavelength that is different from the pump wavelength;
- and
- the optical detection system comprises at least one array of photodetector elements, in which each element is arranged to detect a corresponding one of the separate diffracted beams that traverse the vapor cell.
Atomic magnetometer apparatus, comprising:
- an atomic vapor cell;
- an optical system conformed to transmit radiation comprising pump light through the vapor cell;
- and
- an optical detection system arranged to receive and detect at least a portion of the transmitted radiation after it exits the vapor cell;
- wherein the optical system comprises a diffractive optical element arranged to divide at least a portion of the transmitted radiation into a plurality of separate diffracted beams that traverse the vapor cell;
- and wherein the atomic magnetometer apparatus further comprises:
- a solenoid coil;
- a sample tube, positioned within the solenoid coil, for containing a sample to be subjected to magnetic imaging;
- and
- at least one further atomic vapor cell;
- wherein:
- the atomic vapor cells are positioned within a magnetic sensing distance of the sample tube;
- each atomic vapor cell is arranged to be transilluminated by radiation comprising pump light from an optical system;
- and
- each atomic vapor cell is arranged to pass the transilluminating radiation, after it exits the atomic vapor cell, to an optical detection system arranged to receive and detect at least a portion of the passed radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.