Stable Atomic Magnetometer in Parity-Time Symmetry Broken Phase

Abstract

Random motion of spins is usually detrimental in magnetic resonance experiments. The spin diffusion in non-uniform magnetic fields causes broadening of the resonance and limits the sensitivity and the spectral resolution in applications like magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Here, by observation of the parity-time ($PT$) phase transition of diffusive spins in gradient magnetic fields, we show that the spatial degrees of freedom of atoms could become a resource, rather than harmfulness, for high-precision measurement of weak signals. In the normal phase with zero or low gradient fields, the diffusion results in dissipation of spin precession. However, by increasing the field gradient, the spin system undergoes a $PT$ transition, and enters the $PT$ symmetry broken phase. In this novel phase, the spin precession frequency splits due to spatial localization of the eigenmodes. We demonstrate that, using these spatial-motion-induced split frequencies, the spin system can serve as a stable magnetometer, whose output is insensitive to the inevitable long-term drift of control parameters. This opens a door to detect extremely weak signals in imperfectly controlled environment.

arXiv comment6+18 pages, 4+8 figures, to be published in Physical Review Letters

References in corpus (27)

• Real Spectra in Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians Having PT Symmetry
• Making Sense of Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians
• Nonreciprocal light transmission in parity-time-symmetric whispering-gallery microcavities
• Optical Magnetometry
• Dynamically encircling exceptional points in a waveguide: asymmetric mode switching from the breakdown of adiabaticity
• Topological energy transfer in an optomechanical system with exceptional points
• Spawning rings of exceptional points out of Dirac cones
• Enhanced sensitivity operation of an optical gyroscope near an exceptional point
• Metrology with $\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$-symmetric cavities: Enhanced sensitivity near the $\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$-phase transition
• Non-Hermitian Quantum Sensing: Fundamental Limits and Non-Reciprocal Approaches
• Observation of Parity-Time Symmetry in Optically Induced Atomic Lattices
• Non-Hermitian Ring Laser Gyroscopes with Enhanced Sagnac Sensitivity
• Quantum Noise Theory of Exceptional Point Sensors
• No exceptional precision of exceptional point sensors
• A Laboratory Search for a Long-Range T-odd, P-odd Interaction from Axion-Like Particles using Dual Species Nuclear Magnetic Resonance with Polarized Xe-129 and Xe-131 Gas
• A microfabricated optically-pumped magnetic gradiometer
• Search for axion-like dark matter with spin-based amplifiers
• Sensitivity of parameter estimation near the exceptional point of a non-Hermitian system
• ${}^3$He-${}^{129}$Xe Comagnetometery using ${}^{87}$Rb Detection and Decoupling
• Comagnetometer probes of dark matter and new physics
• New classes of systematic effects in gas spin co-magnetometers
• Search for exotic spin-dependent interactions with a spin-based amplifier
• Synchronous Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping
• Probe Spin-Velocity Dependent New Interactions by Spin Relaxation Times of Polarized ${}^{3}He$ Gas
• Continuous Comagnetometry using Transversely Polarized Xe Isotopes
• General Solution to Gradient Induced Transverse and Longitudinal Relaxation of Spins Undergoing Restricted Diffusion
• Electric quadrupole shifts of the precession frequencies of ${}^{131}$Xe atoms in rectangular cells

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Anti-parity-time symmetry hidden in a damping linear resonator
• Engineering non-Hermitian Second Order Topological Insulator in Quasicrystals
• Enhancing Weak magnetic field sensing of cavity-magnon system with dual frequency modulation
• Frequency Shift Caused by Nonuniform Field and Boundary Relaxation in Magnetic Resonance and Comagnetometers
• Enhanced Sensing by Geometric Tuning of YIG Spheres: Noise Reduction, Signal Amplification and Directional Magnetic Field Detection
• Axion-Like Particle Detection in Alkali-Noble-Gas Haloscopes