Parallel high-frequency magnetic sensing with an array of flux transformers and multi-channel optically pumped magnetometer for hand MRI application
Abstract
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 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.
- Authors:
-
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1735914
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1678794
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-20-24994
Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979; TRN: US2205270
- Grant/Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001; 20200393ER
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Applied Physics
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 128; Journal Issue: 15; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; transformer; magnetic field sensors; magnetic resonance imaging; photodiodes
Citation Formats
Kim, Young Jin, and Savukov, Igor Mykhaylovych. Parallel high-frequency magnetic sensing with an array of flux transformers and multi-channel optically pumped magnetometer for hand MRI application. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web. doi:10.1063/5.0021284.
Kim, Young Jin, & Savukov, Igor Mykhaylovych. Parallel high-frequency magnetic sensing with an array of flux transformers and multi-channel optically pumped magnetometer for hand MRI application. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0021284
Kim, Young Jin, and Savukov, Igor Mykhaylovych. Tue .
"Parallel high-frequency magnetic sensing with an array of flux transformers and multi-channel optically pumped magnetometer for hand MRI application". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0021284. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1735914.
@article{osti_1735914,
title = {Parallel high-frequency magnetic sensing with an array of flux transformers and multi-channel optically pumped magnetometer for hand MRI application},
author = {Kim, Young Jin and Savukov, Igor Mykhaylovych},
abstractNote = {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 fT / 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.},
doi = {10.1063/5.0021284},
journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
number = 15,
volume = 128,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 20 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Tue Oct 20 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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