Biomagnetic Center - RG Optical Magnetometry
Head
Head of Research Group Optical Magnetometry
Staff
- Samer Afach
Research focus
Development of ultrasensitive optical magnetometers
A special medium, whose optical properties depend on the ambient magnetic field, is used to measure magnetic fields in an optical setup. With modern lasertechnique and fpga-based digital signal processing we build sensors that belong to the most sensitive available magnetometers. Compared to sensors based on superconduction (Superconducting Interference Devices SQUIDs), our sensors work at room temperature and their handling thus is much easier. The team investigates different aspects of optical magnetic sensors like the interaction between light and sensor medium, development and optimization of data processing and applied research for the clinical use of the technique.
Currently we concentrate on a clinical application, in which the sensors measure the magnetic field of the human heart (magnetocardiography, MCG). The MCG-signal is produced by electrical current that regulates the contractions of the heart. These can be measured non-invasively and contactless with a magnetometer near the chest of the patient. In collaboration with a medical company we work on a project to demonstrate, that the optical sensors can be used in a clinical environment and that such a system has advantages for heart diagnosis.
The second application for our magnetometers is the usage in the measurement of the electrical dipole moment of the neutron. This serves several basic problems, among them the question concerning the asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the universe.
Research projects
01.11.2011 - 31.10.2014, Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Project nr. 0316069B) "KMU-Innovativ-8: Optical multi-channel-vectormagnetometer in a shielding room for clinical application"
Publications
Lembke, G., Stumpf, M., Erné, S. N., Bison, G.: Towards Clinical MCG with Room-Temperature Sensors, Biomag 2010, Dubrovnik. IFMBE Proceedings 28: 62-65, 2010.
Hofer, A., Bison, G., Castagna, N., Di Domenico, G., Knowles, P., Lembke, G., Weis, A.: Towards an optical multichannel cardiomagnetometer for clinical use, Biomag 2008, Sapporo 2008.
Collaborations
Fribourg Atomic Physics Group
Universität Fribourg
Prof. Antoine Weis
Chemin du Museé 3
1700 Fribourg / Switzerland
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
Fachbereich Biosignale
Dr. L. Trahms
Abbestr. 2-12
10587 Berlin / Germany
Institut für Biomedizinische Technik und Informatik
TU Ilmenau
Prof. Dr. Jens Haueisen
PF 100565
98684 Ilmenau / Germany
Paul-Scherrer-Institut
Ultra Cold Neutron Group
Dr. Philipp Schmidt-Wellenburg
CH-5232 Villigen-PSI
Switzerland