Characterization of a high mechanical-Q fiber laser Lorentz force dc magnetometer

A magnetic field sensor is described based on coupling the field into a time varying strain in a fiber laser strain sensor, through the Lorentzian force. A conducting bridge carries an ac current and oscillates at resonance in the presence of a magnetic field. A fiber laser strain sensor attached to the ribbon measures the deflections. The quality factor is shown to be limited by air damping resulting in a measurement resolution of 704 pT/Hz(1/2)±10% at ambient pressure and 360 pT/Hz(1/2)±10% at a reduced pressure of 1700 Pa at 1 Hz and 75 mA (rms).