Optimization and performance of an optical cardio-magnetometer

Cardiomagnetometry is a growing field of noninvasive medical diagnostics that has triggered a need for affordable high-sensitivity magnetometers. Optical pumping magnetometers are promising candidates satisfying that need since it was demonstrated that they can map the heart magnetic field. For the optimization of such devices theoretical limits on the performance as well as an experimental approach is presented. The promising result is a intrinsic magnetometric sensitivity of 63 fT / Hz^1/2 a measurement bandwidth of 140 Hz and a spatial resolution of 28 mm

Theory of double resonance magnetometers based on atomic alignment

We present a theoretical study of the spectra produced by optical-radio-frequency double resonance devices, in which resonant linearly polarized light is used in the optical pumping and detection processes. We extend previous work by presenting algebraic results which are valid for atomic states with arbitrary angular momenta, arbitrary rf intensities, and arbitrary geometries. The only restriction made is the assumption of low light intensity. The results are discussed in view of their use in optical magnetometers

A sound card based multi-channel frequency measurement system

For physical processes which express themselves as a frequency, for example magnetic field measurements using optically-pumped alkali-vapor magnetometers, the precise extraction of the frequency from the noisy signal is a classical problem. We describe herein a frequency measurement system based on an inexpensive commercially available computer sound card coupled with a software single-tone estimator which reaches Cram\'er--Rao limited performance, a feature which commercial frequency counters often lack. Characterization of the system and examples of its successful application to magnetometry are presented.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

PCB Coil Design Producing a Uniform Confined Magnetic Field

We present a magnetic field confining coil with a sub-$10^{-3}$ field uniformity over a large fraction of the coil. The structure is entirely made out of printed circuit boards (PCBs). The PCB design allows to tailor the path of wires to fit the required geometry. We measure the field uniformity with cesium magnetometers in a field range from 1 to 10 $\mu\mathrm{T}$. Our application uses such a coil for an atomic magnetometry-based current controller

High Bandwidth Atomic Magnetometery with Continuous Quantum Non-demolition Measurements

We describe an experimental study of spin-projection noise in a high sensitivity alkali-metal magnetometer. We demonstrate a four-fold improvement in the measurement bandwidth of the magnetometer using continuous quantum non-demolition (QND) measurements. Operating in the scalar mode with a measurement volume of 2 cm^3 we achieve magnetic field sensitivity of 22 fT/Hz^(1/2) and a bandwidth of 1.9 kHz with a spin polarization of only 1%. Our experimental arrangement is naturally back-action evading and can be used to realize sub-fT sensitivity with a highly polarized spin-squeezed atomic vapor.Comment: 4 page

Results of conjunctivo-dacryocystorhinostomy with low-density polyethylene tube implant

Purpose: To analyze the postoperative complications of conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy with low-density polyethylene tube and the possible correlations between the various etiologies and complications and surgical success rate. Methods: The study was carried out on 35 lacrimal apparatus of 34 patients who were submitted to conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy with low-density polyethylene tube during a six-year period, from August 1991 to November 1997. With the aim of studying the possible correlations between the findings (etiology x complications and etiology x success rate) exact Fisher's test was carried out. Results: The most important etiologies were chronic dacryocystitis and failure of dacryocystorhinostomy (53.9%) followed by traumatisms (16.3%). The complication rate was 74.3%. The surgical success rate in one intervention was 25.7%. After two or more surgeries, 17 tubes became pervious and well-located (48.6%). Unsuccessful procedures occurred in 25.7% of the lacrimal apparatus. There was no significant correlation between etiology and complication occurrence neither between etiology and surgical success. Conclusions: There is no difference between complications and success in this study and those reported in the international literature. These findings were not correlated with the obstruction etiology. The advantages of low-density polyethylene tube are its great availability, the easy manufacture in the intraoperative period according to the lenght and width needs of and, finally, it can be exchanged for borosilicate glass when the edema regress.Objetivos: Estabelecer quais são as complicações pós-operatórias da conjuntivodacriocistorrinostomia (CDCR) com implante de prótese lacrimal de polietileno de baixa densidade e relacionar a etiologia da obstrução e o aparecimento destas complicações e, conseqüentemente, o sucesso pós-operatório. Métodos: Foram analisadas 35 vias lacrimais submetidas a conjuntivodacriocistorrinostomia com implante de prótese lacrimal de polietileno. Com a finalidade de estudar as possíveis relações entre as variáveis encontradas (etiologia x complicações e etiologia x sucesso) realizou-se o teste exato de Fisher. Resultados: As etiologias de obstrução mais freqüentes foram a dacriocistite crônica e pós-dacriocistorrinostomia que, em conjunto, foram responsáveis por 53,9% dos casos. Os traumatismos ocasionaram 16,3% das obstruções. A taxa de complicações encontrada foi 74,3%. A conjuntivodacriocistorrinostomia apresentou sucesso em uma única intervenção cirúrgica em 9 vias lacrimais (25,7%). Após duas ou mais intervenções cirúrgicas, 17 próteses lacrimais tornaram-se pérvias e bem localizadas (48,6%). O insucesso ocorreu em 9 vias lacrimais (25,7%). Não houve relação estatisticamente significante entre etiologia e ocorrência de complicações nem entre etiologia e sucesso pós-operatório. Conclusões: As complicações encontradas são similares às descritas na literatura e não tiveram relação com a etiologia da obstrução canalicular. O mesmo pode ser considerado no que se refere ao sucesso da conjuntivodacriocistorrinostomia. As vantagens da prótese lacrimal de polietileno de baixa densidade são a grande disponibilidade, a fácil confecção no per-operatório de acordo com o comprimento e o diâmetro do colarete desejados e pode ser substituída pela prótese lacrimal de vidro de borosilicato assim que o edema regrida.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de OftalmologiaSanta Casa de São Paulo Departamento de OftalmologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de OftalmologiaSciEL

Sensitivity of double resonance alignment magnetometers

We present an experimental study of the intrinsic magnetometric sensitivity of an optical/rf-frequency double resonance magnetometer in which linearly polarized laser light is used in the optical pumping and detection processes. We show that a semi-empirical model of the magnetometer can be used to describe the magnetic resonance spectra. Then, we present an efficient method to predict the optimum operating point of the magnetometer, i.e., the light power and rf Rabi frequency providing maximum magnetometric sensitivity. Finally, we apply the method to investigate the evolution of the optimum operating point with temperature. The method is very efficient to determine relaxation rates and thus allowed us to determine the three collisional disalignment cross sections for the components of the alignment tensor. Both first and second harmonic signals from the magnetometer are considered and compared

A large sample study of spin relaxation and magnetometric sensitivity of paraffin-coated Cs vapor cells

We have manufactured more than 250 nominally identical paraffin-coated Cs vapor cells (30 mm diameter bulbs) for multi-channel atomic magnetometer applications. We describe our dedicated cell characterization apparatus. For each cell we have determined the intrinsic longitudinal, \sGamma{01}, and transverse, \sGamma{02}, relaxation rates. Our best cell shows \sGamma{01}/2\pi\approx 0.5 Hz, and \sGamma{02}/2\pi\approx 2 Hz. We find a strong correlation of both relaxation rates which we explain in terms of reservoir and spin exchange relaxation. For each cell we have determined the optimal combination of rf and laser powers which yield the highest sensitivity to magnetic field changes. Out of all produced cells, 90% are found to have magnetometric sensitivities in the range of 9 to 30 fTHz. Noise analysis shows that the magnetometers operated with such cells have a sensitivity close to the fundamental photon shot noise limit

A high-sensitivity laser-pumped Mx magnetometer

Abstract.: We discuss the design and performance of a laser-pumped cesium vapor magnetometer in the Mx configuration. The device will be employed in the control and stabilization of fluctuating magnetic fields and gradients in a new experiment searching for a permanent electric dipole moment of the neutron. We have determined the intrinsic sensitivity of the device to be 15 fT in a 1 Hz bandwidth, limited by technical laser noise. In the shot noise limit the magnetometer can reach a sensitivity of 10 fT in a 1 Hz bandwidth. We have used the device to study the fluctuations of a stable magnetic field in a multi-layer magnetic shield for integration times in the range of 2-100 seconds. The residual fluctuations for times up to a few minutes are traced back to the instability of the power supply used to generate the fiel