Parallel high-frequency magnetic sensing with an array of flux transformers and multi-channel optically pumped magnetometer for hand MRI application

Journal Article · Tue Oct 20 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0021284· OSTI ID:1735914

Kim, Young Jin  ^[1]; Savukov, Igor Mykhaylovych  ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Here, we investigate an approach for parallel high-frequency magnetic sensing based on a multi-channel radio frequency (RF) optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) coupled to multiple flux transformers (FTs) with a focus on hand magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) application at ultra-low field (ULF). Multiple RF OPM sensing channels are realized by using a single large-area alkali-metal vapor cell and two laser beams for pumping and probing, shared for all the channels. This design leads to significant cost reduction when multi-channel sensing is desirable, as in the case of ULF MRI. The FT, composed of two connected coils, serves as a transmitter of a target magnetic field to the OPM, while decoupling the OPM from untargeted magnetic fields in the sensing area that can limit the OPM performance. For hand MRI application, theoretical and numerical analysis is performed to determine an optimal geometry for the FT array that could improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and sufficiently reduce crosstalk between FTs. We estimate that the optimized multi-channel FT-OPM sensor can achieve a magnetic field sensitivity of the order of $1\mathrm{fT}/{\mathrm{Hz}}^{1/2}$ above 100 kHz, which would be sufficient for 1 mm resolution MRI. In general, the multi-channel capability enables simultaneous magnetic measurements, thus reducing the sensing time and improving the SNR, and we anticipate many applications of the multi-channel FT-OPM sensor beyond the targeted here hand MRI: anatomical parallel ULF MRI of the human brain and other parts of the body, airport security screening, magnetic material imaging, and many others.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001; 20200393ER
• OSTI ID: 1735914
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1678794
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-20-24994; TRN: US2205270
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 128, Issue 15; ISSN 0021-8979
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
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magnetic field sensors
magnetic resonance imaging
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