Hyperpolarized xenon nuclear spins detected by optical atomic magnetometry

Area of Science:

• Atomic physics and quantum sensing
• Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Magnetometry and precision measurement

Background:

• Atomic magnetometers offer high sensitivity for detecting small magnetic fields.
• Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation (NMOR) is a key principle for atomic magnetometer operation.
• Detecting nuclear magnetization in gases like xenon is crucial for advanced NMR/MRI applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the detection of nuclear magnetization of xenon gas using an atomic magnetometer.
• To evaluate the performance of a frequency-modulated light-based NMOR atomic magnetometer for this application.
• To explore the potential of atomic magnetometers in low-field and remote magnetic resonance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an atomic magnetometer based on nonlinear magneto-optical rotation with frequency-modulated light.
• Measured the nuclear magnetization of a spin-exchange-polarized xenon gas sample (1.7 cm³, 5 bars).
• The xenon sample was prepared remotely from the atomic sensor for detection.

Main Results:

• Successfully detected an average magnetic field of approximately 10 nG induced by the xenon sample.
• Achieved a signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 10, limited by environmental magnetic noise.
• Demonstrated the capability of the atomic sensor to detect remote nuclear magnetization.

Conclusions:

• Modern atomic magnetometers are suitable for detecting nuclear magnetic resonance.
• These sensors show promise for magnetic resonance imaging, especially in low-field and remote-detection scenarios.
• Atomic magnetometers represent an ideal technology for emerging magnetic resonance applications.