Putting a spin on light and atoms: How to build a better magnetometer
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 07:21
in Physics & Chemistry
Magnetometers come in many shapes and sizes - an ordinary hand-held compass is the simplest - but alkali-vapor magnetometers are extrasensitive devices that measure magnetic fields using light and atoms. They can detect archaeological remains and mineral deposits underground by their faint magnetic signatures, among a host of other scientific applications.