Southwest Quantum Information and Technology

An Actively Controlled Dual Species Rb Atomic Magnetometer for Low Frequency Communication.

Presenting Author: John Bainbridge, University of New Mexico CQuIC
Contributing Author(s): Neil Claussen Joonas Iivanainen Peter Schwindt

We present a radiofrequency (RF) atomic magnetometer based on natural abundance rubidium vapor for communications through lossy media. By utilizing both 85Rb and 87Rb, we build upon the variometer concept first presented by Alexandrov et al [1] and the atomic RF magnetometers first built at Princeton [2]. We have constructed a variometer using 87Rb to obtain the full external field vector, which allows for active stabilization of the Larmor resonance of 85Rb at the desired frequency via an FPGA-based feedback system. We have also designed a 3D-printed miniaturized housing for our physics package. Here we report on our progress toward a highly sensitive, fieldable magnetometer for low frequency communications in lossy media that can operate outside a magnetic shield. Funding Statement Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525. References [1] E.B. Alexandrov et al, Meas. Sci. Technol. 15, 918-922 (2004). [2] I.M. Savukov, S.J. Seltzer, and M.V. Romalis, PRL 95, 063004 (2005)

(Session 5 : Thursday from 12:00pm-2:00 pm)