title: Miniature atomic scalar magnetometer for space based on the rubidium isotope87Rb.
abstract: A miniature atomic scalar magnetometer based on the rubidium isotope87Rb was developed for operation in space. The instrument design implements bothMxandMzmode operation and leverages a novel microelectromechanical system (MEMS) fabricated vapor cell and a custom silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit. The vapor cell has a volume of only 1 mm3so that it can be efficiently heated to its operating temperature by a specially designed, low-magnetic-field-generating resistive heater implemented in multiple metal layers of the transparent sapphire substrate of the SOS-CMOS chips. The SOS-CMOS chip also hosts the Helmholtz coil and associated circuitry to stimulate the magnetically sensitive atomic resonance and temperature sensors. The prototype instrument has a total mass of fewer than 500 g and uses less than 1 W of power, while maintaining a sensitivity of 15 pT/√Hz at 1 Hz, comparable to present state-of-the-art absolute magnetometers.
authors: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Laurel Maryland USA.
authors: Haje
authors: H
authors: Korth
authors: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Laurel Maryland USA.
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Strohbehn
authors: Electrical and Computer Engineering The Johns Hopkins University Baltimore Maryland USA.
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Tejada
authors: Electrical and Computer Engineering The Johns Hopkins University Baltimore Maryland USA.
authors: Andreas G
authors: AG
authors: Andreou
authors: National Institute of Standards and Technology Boulder Colorado USA.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Kitching
authors: National Institute of Standards and Technology Boulder Colorado USA.
authors: Svenja
authors: S
authors: Knappe
authors: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Laurel Maryland USA.
authors: S John
authors: SJ
authors: Lehtonen
authors: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Laurel Maryland USA.
authors: Shaughn M
authors: SM
authors: London
authors: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Laurel Maryland USA.
authors: Matiwos
authors: M
authors: Kafel
keywords: atomic magnetometer; microelectromechanical systems; miniature magnetometer; optical magnetometer; vertical cavity surface‐emitting laser