NICOP - Optical Magnetic Field Sensor
Abstract
in order to develop an optically readable magnetic field sensor of microscale dimensionswith high sensitivity. It is anticipated that the sensor concept can be optimized to achievesub-microtesla magnetic field resolution and sub-micron spatial resolution.Recent breakthroughs in metamaterials research have given rise to a novel class of metamaterialsthat are rearranged on the nanoscale by m"agnetic, electric, thermal or even optical forces, givingrise to large changes in their optical properties [1]. At the same time, w"e have demonstrated thatinteraction of optical standing waves with ultra-thin ~perfect absorber~ metamaterials allowsdynamic control of absorption from 0 to 100% [2]. The combination of these concepts in microinterferometersof variable length offers an opportun"ity to develop various microscale opticalsensors offering high speed, sensitivity and spatial resolution.We will develop such opti""cal sensors for magnetic field. Magnetic field sensors are important fornavigation, detection of ferromagnetic objects, metal detec""tion based on eddy currents, readingmagnetic security features in secure documents or bank notes (~magnetic ink~), currentmeasurem""ents, magnetic memory readout, brain function mapping, mineral prospecting andmonitoring applications in space missions.Our magnet"ic field sensor devices are based on a microinterferometer that is actuated by themagnetic Lorentz force and that exploits coherent perfect absorption in order to translatenanometer-scale magnetically-induced actuation into large changes of optical intensity. Wh"ileachievable performance limits will be explored as part of the project, we expect that sensors canbe designed for sub-microtesla"" scale sensitivity, millisecond time resolution and sub-micrometerspatial resolution.In contrast to existing technologies, the nov"el magnetic field sensor could be built on the endface of an optical fibre to create a miniature high-sensitivity sensor that is re"ad via the fibre. Suchsensors could have the size, weight, flexibility, robustness and handling characteristics of opticalfibres."" They would be suitable for space- and weight-critical application, they could be putessentially anywhere, could be arranged in gri""ds for large-scale spatial resolution, could be usedfor magnetic field imaging with about 1 ~m spatial resolution and they could pe""rform magneticfield gradient measurements.Furthermore, this project will prepare the ground for a much broader range of sensors ba"sed onreconfigurable metamaterials as anything that influences displacement or oscillation of ametamaterial~s building blocks may" in principle be detected.[1] N. I. Zheludev and E. Plum, ~Reconfigurable nanomechanical photonic metamaterials,~Nature Nanotechno""logy 11, 16 (2016).[2] J. Zhang, K. F. MacDonald, and N. I. Zheludev, ~Controlling light-with-light withoutnonlinearity,~ Light: S""cience & Applications 1, e18 (2012).
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 20, 2017
- Source ID
- N629091812026
Entities
People
- Eric Plum
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Southampton