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Miniature atomic scaler magnetometer for space based on the rubidium isotope 87Rb
Published
Author(s)
Haje Korth, Kim Strohbehn, Francisco Tejada, Andreas G Andreou, John Kitching, Svenja A. Knappe, S. John Lehtonen, Shaughn M. London, Matiwos Kafel
Abstract
A miniature absolute scalar magnetometer based on the rubidium isotope 87Rb was developed for possible future operation in space. The instrument design implements both Mx and Mz mode operation and leverages a novel micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) fabricated vapor cell and a custom silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit. The vapor cell has a volume of only 1 mm3 so that it can be efficiently heated to its operating temperature by a specially-designed, low-magnetic-field-generating resistive heater implemented in multiple metal layers of the transparent sapphire substrate of the SOS-CMOS chips. The SOS-CMOS chip also hosts the Helmholtz coil and associated circuit to stimulate the magnetically-sensitive atomic resonance and temperature sensors. The instrument has a total mass of less than 500 g and uses 0.5 W of power, while maintaining sensitivity, 15 pT/√Hz at 1 Hz, comparable to present state-of-the-art absolute magnetometers.
Conference Dates
April 20-24, 2015
Conference Location
Boulder, CO, US
Conference Title
Conference on Measurement Techniques in Solar and Space Physics
Korth, H.
, Strohbehn, K.
, Tejada, F.
, Andreou, A.
, Kitching, J.
, Knappe, S.
, Lehtonen, S.
, London, S.
and Kafel, M.
(2016),
Miniature atomic scaler magnetometer for space based on the rubidium isotope <sup>87</sup>Rb, Conference on Measurement Techniques in Solar and Space Physics, Boulder, CO, US, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=919608
(Accessed October 6, 2025)