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arXiv · 2112.04262

Zero-field magnetometry based on the combination of atomic orientation and alignment

Gwenael Le Gal·Agustin Palacios-Laloy
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Abstract

Optically pumped magnetometers usually rely on optical pumping using circularly- or linearly-polarized light. We study here zero-field magnetometers pumped with elliptically-polarized light, preparing both atomic orientation and alignment with complementary geometries. We start by extending the "three-step approach" for elliptically-polarized pumping. This allows us studying the Hanle effect in elliptical polarization by comparing the analytical absorption signals with experiments made on helium-4 metastable state. We then study parametric resonance magnetometers based on elliptical polarization by using the dressed-atom formalism with one and two radio-frequency fields. The results show a good agreement with the experimental measurements and open interesting perspectives for magnetometry where symmetry breaking by pumping light is mitigated.

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Gwenael Le Gal, Agustin Palacios-Laloy. 2021-12-08. Zero-field magnetometry based on the combination of atomic orientation and alignment. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.105.043114

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