Atomic Magnetometers for Fundamental Physics and Applications

Michael Valerievich Romalis, Princeton University

Professor Romalis will discuss recent advances in atomic magnetometry techniques that allowed detectors using spin-polarized atoms to exceed the sensitivity of low-temperature SQUID magnetometers. Atomic magnetometers can be used to detect a variety of weak signals, such as magnetic fields produced by the brain, NMR signals in a low magnetic field, and slow mechanical rotations. A co-magnetometer using two different atomic species can be used to cancel environmental magnetic noise and to look for new fundamental physics effects, such as an anomalous field coupling to spins due to a violation of Lorentz and CPT symmetry. He will discuss these and other applications of atomic magnetometers being developed in our lab.

The P/T Colloquium is
typically held each
Thursday, 3:45–5:00 PM.
Refreshments are served
at 3:15 PM.