Abstract

The measurement of magnetic fields with the conventional optical pumping magnetometers are usually performed by monitoring the probe light transmission while scanning the Rf field near the resonance between two adjacent magnetic sublevels.¹ The so-called coherent dark- state magnetometers, in contrast, utilize the dispersive properties of the medium.² The key elements of such a device is the resonantly enhanced index of refraction and the narrow feature of the electromagnetically induced transparency. These are accomplished by the resonant driving field coupling the upper level of the relevant atomic transition to another lower lying auxiliary level. While allowing the medium transparent to the probe field, it makes the steep dispersion near the resonant frequency.³

© 2002 Optical Society of America