ATOMIC MAGNETOMETER FOR FETAL BIOMAGNETISM

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究项目的长期目标是开发一种用于胎儿心脏磁图（fMCG）和胎儿脑磁图（fMEG）系统的光学磁强计。我们认为，提议的磁力计代表了SQUID磁力计的第一个可行的替代方案；因此，该研究对生物磁学领域的潜在影响是巨大的。我们开发了一种新颖的小体积单通道原子生物磁强计，并将其用于检测成人MCG信号。磁力计有足够高的灵敏度，它是胎儿MCG能力。下一步是为快消品开发实用的多通道、多维度、低成本的原子磁强计。具体目标是：1。在1-100 Hz带宽范围内，将我们的单通道矢量磁强计的噪声性能提高到20 fT/ Hz。2. 将其进一步缩小到10厘米的对角线尺寸，集成光学和电子器件，并设计和制造一个四通道原子生物磁强计套装，适用于快速消费品的研究。3. 利用模型测试和评估生物磁强计阵列的技术性能。4. 将生物磁强计集成到一个与孕妇研究兼容的测试系统中。5. 用多通道系统对人体进行初步测量。公共卫生相关性：胎儿心脏磁图是诊断胎儿心律失常特别有效的方法。它可以提供通过超声波等其他技术无法获得的信息。研究一种用于胎儿心脏磁图的新型原子磁强计有可能大大降低成本并提高胎儿心脏磁强图的性能。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this research program is to develop an optical magnetometer for use in fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) and fetal magnetoencephalography (fMEG) systems. We believe that the proposed magnetometer represents the first viable alternative to SQUID magnetometers; thus, the potential impact of the research on the field of biomagnetism is enormous. We have developed a novel, small-volume single-channel atomic biomagnetometer and have used it to detect adult MCG signals. The magnetometer has sufficiently high sensitivity that it is fetal MCG capable. The next step is to develop a practical multi- channel, multidimensional, low-cost atomic magnetometer for fMCG. The specific aims are: 1. To improve the noise performance of our single channel vector magnetometer to 20 fT/ Hz over a 1-100 Hz bandwidth. 2. To further miniaturize it to a 10 cm diagonal size with integrated optics and electronics, and to design and fabricate a four-channel atomic biomagnetometer suit- able for fMCG studies. 3. To test and evaluate the technical performance of the biomagnetometer array using phantoms. 4. To integrate the biomagnetometer within a test system that is compatible with studies of pregnant women. 5. To make preliminary human subject measurements with the multichannel system. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Fetal magnetocardiography is an especially effective method for diagnosis of fetal arrhythmias. It can provide information that is not available through other technologies such as ultrasound. The proposed research into a new atomic magnetometer for fetal magnetocardiography has the potential to greatly reduce the cost and improve the performance of fetal magnetocardiography.