Probe noise characteristics of the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) magnetometer

In the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) magnetometer, the probe noise is a consequential factor affecting the gradiometric measurement sensitivities. In this paper, we proposed a new characteristics model of the probe noise based on noise separation. Different from noise analysis on single noise source, we considered most of the noise sources influencing the probe system and realized noise sources level measurement experimentally. The results demonstrate that the major noise type changes with the signal frequency. Below 10 Hz, the probe noise mainly comes from the sources independent of light intensity such as the vibration, which accounts for more than 50%; while at 30 Hz, the photon shot noise and the magnetic noise are the main origins, with proportion about 43% and 32%, respectively. Moreover, the results indicate that the optimal probe light intensity with highest sensitivity appears when the response of the magnetic noise is equal to the sum of the electronic noise and half of the shot noise. The optimal intensity gets larger with higher signal frequency. The noise characteristics model could be applied in modulating or differential optical systems and helps sensitivity improvement in SERF magnetometer.