title: Tunable atomic magnetometer for detection of radio-frequency magnetic fields.
abstract: We describe an alkali-metal magnetometer for detection of weak magnetic fields in the radio-frequency (rf) range. High sensitivity is achieved by tuning the Zeeman resonance of alkali atoms to the rf frequency and partially suppressing spin-exchange collisions in the alkali-metal vapor. We demonstrate magnetic field sensitivity of 2 fT/Hz(1/2) at a frequency of 99 kHz with a resonance width of 400 Hz. We also derive a simple analytic expression for the fundamental limit on the sensitivity of the rf magnetometer and show that a sensitivity of about 0.01 fT/Hz(1/2) can be achieved in a practical system with a measurement volume of 200 cm3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Savukov
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Seltzer
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Romalis
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Sauer