Observations of Zeeman tansitions in Rb87 vapor can be used to make accurate measurements of the earth's magnetic field provided that the resonance lines are narrow enough so that the separate components of the transitions are resolved. However, the resulting relatively low signal-to-noise ratio makes it difficult to follow rapid chages in the field. Self-oscillating magnetometers have rapid re...

We designed laser-pumped cesium vapor magnetometers in the M x configuration for the control and stabilization of magnetic field fluctuations and gradients in a new experiment searching for a permanent electric dipole moment of the neutron. The intrinsic sensitivity of the device was determined to be 30 fT in a measurement bandwidth of 1 Hz, limited by laser noise. In the shot noise limit the m...

We have mapped the internal pump intensity distribution by monitoring the spontaneous emission intensity along the cleaved edge of an optically pumped vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) using the high spatial resolution and shallow depth of field provided by near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) [1]. The spontaneous emission of quantum wells placed throughout the distributed...

We present a scheme of surface-sensitive nuclear magnetic resonance in optically pumped semiconductors, where an NMR signal from a part of the surface of a bulk compound semiconductor is detected apart from the bulk signal. It utilizes optically oriented nuclei with a long spin-lattice relaxation time as a polarization reservoir for the second (target) nuclei to be detected. It provides a basis...

This paper reports the first experimental demonstration of an optically pumped electron spin filter. Unpolarized electrons produced in a cold-cathode discharge drift through a mixture of spin-polarized Rb and a nitrogen or helium buffer gas. Through spin-exchange collisions with the Rb, the drifting electrons become polarized along the optical pumping axis. We study the role of the buffer gas i...

Quantum sensors provide unprecedented magnetic field detection sensitivities, enabling these to extend the common magnetometry range of applications and environments operation. In this framework, many also require high spatial resolution measurements for biomedical research, environmental monitoring industrial production. regard, Optically Pumped Magnetometers (OPMs) are considered as prominent...

Optically-pumped magnetometers (OPMs) have seen rapid progress over the last decade in terms of performance and technology development. As highly sensitive room-temperature magnetometers they present several advantages over superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) sensors, such as the possibility for conformal geometries and low-maintenance systems. We review the state of the art and...