National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC

Peter D D Schwindt

Charles A Walker

Grant Biedermann

Jongmin Lee

Dennis J De Smet

Jonathan Edward Bainbridge

Neil Claussen

An optically pumped, atomic magnetometer incorporates a feedback system for stabilizing the magnetic bias field and suppressing unwanted background fields. The magnetic bias field is applied to a vapor cell containing host atoms of two different species, each of which resonates at a different Larmor frequency when both are subjected to the same magnetic bias field. One species provides the feedback for stabilizing the bias field, thereby creating a stabilizing magnetometer portion that nulls out the unwanted background fields. The other species provides magnetic field detection or signal reception on a radio communication frequency of interest, thereby creating a signal magnetometer portion that permits detection of the signal at the radio communication frequency.

Optically pumped, radio-frequency atomic magnetometry with feedback stabilization

A sealed, passively pumped, polycrystalline ceramic vacuum chamber and method for fabricating the chamber are disclosed. The body of the vacuum chamber is made from a polycrystalline ceramic, for example, alumina. The vacuum chamber includes one or more windows made from a transparent ceramic, for example, sapphire, to accommodate optical access, while remaining amorphous-glass free to minimize or eliminate helium permeation. The vacuum chamber components are joined via laser welding or furnace brazing and the completed chamber is bakeable at temperatures up to 400&#xb0; C. The vacuum chamber can operate at high or ultra-high vacuum pressures for an extended period through the use of one or more getter-based pumps. The vacuum chamber may include one or more atomic sources depending upon the application.

Passively pumped, polycrystalline ceramic high and ultra-high vacuum chambers

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Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

Peter D D Schwindt