Acousto-optic modulation detection method in an all-optical K-Rb hybrid atomic magnetometer using uniform design method.

An acousto-optic modulation (AOM) detection method is demonstrated to detect the atomic Larmor precession frequency in an all-optical K-Rb atomic magnetometer operated in Spin-Exchange Relaxation Free (SERF) regime. Magnetic field sensitivity of 14 fT/Hz was achieved by employing the uniform design (UD) [Acta Math Appl Sin.3, 363 (1980)] and subsequently optimizing the AOM modulation conditions. Results were compared to those of Faraday and the balanced polarimetry method in the same magnetometer. The AOM detection method has several advantages, such as small volume, no extra magnetic shielding for the modulator, high measurement signal-to-noise ratio and stability. It has a good prospect for compact and multi-channel atomic magnetometers.