Skip to main content

NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.

Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

A Low-Power, High-Sensitivity Micromachined Optical Magnetometer

Published

Author(s)

Rahul R. Mhaskar, Svenja A. Knappe, John E. Kitching

Abstract

We demonstrate a fiber-optically coupled optical magnetometer based on a microfabricated 87Rb vapor cell in a micromachined silicon sensor head. The cell is optically heated with light at 1.5 mm brought to the cell through an optical fiber and absorbed by colored filters attached to the cell windows. A second fiber-optically coupled probe beam optically pumps and interrogates the atoms. A sensitivity below 20 fΤ/√Hz is achieved in the frequency band from 15 Hz to 100 Hz. Such a sensor might find application in measurements of magnetic fields from biological sources such as the human heart and brain.
Citation
Applied Physics Letters
Volume
101

Keywords

Atomic spectroscopy, Biomagnetic measurements, Magnetic resonances, Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), Optical magnetometers

Citation

Mhaskar, R. , Knappe, S. and Kitching, J. (2012), A Low-Power, High-Sensitivity Micromachined Optical Magnetometer, Applied Physics Letters, [online], https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4770361 (Accessed October 10, 2025)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact [email protected].

Created December 11, 2012, Updated November 10, 2018
Was this page helpful?