Magnetocardiography with a modular spin-exchange relaxation-free atomic magnetometer array

Phys Med Biol. 2012 May 7;57(9):2619-32. doi: 10.1088/0031-9155/57/9/2619. Epub 2012 Apr 13.

Abstract

We present a portable four-channel atomic magnetometer array operating in the spin-exchange relaxation-free regime. The magnetometer array has several design features intended to maximize its suitability for biomagnetic measurement, specifically foetal magnetocardiography, such as a compact modular design and fibre-coupled lasers. The modular design allows the independent positioning and orientation of each magnetometer. Using this array in a magnetically shielded room, we acquire adult magnetocadiograms. These measurements were taken with a 6-11 fT Hz(-1/2) single-channel baseline sensitivity that is consistent with the independently measured noise level of the magnetically shielded room.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Humans
  • Magnetocardiography / methods*
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Photons