Hardware Design and Implementation of a High-Precision Optically Pumped Cesium Magnetometer System Based on the Human-Occupied Vehicle Platform

Abstract

High-precision magnetometers play a crucial role in ocean exploration, geophysical prospecting, and military and security applications. Installing them on human-occupied vehicle (HOV) platforms can greatly enhance ocean exploration capabilities and efficiency. However, most existing magnetometers suffer from low sensitivity and excessively large size. This study presents a high-sensitivity, miniaturized magnetometer based on cesium optically pumped probes. The designed magnetometer utilizes a three-probe design to eliminate the detection dead zone of the cesium optically pumped probe and enable three-dimensional magnetic detection. The proposed magnetometer uses a flux gate probe to detect the three-axis magnetic field and ensure that the probe does not enter the dead zone. The three probes can automatically switch by measuring the geomagnetic elements and real-time attitude of the HOV platform. This article primarily introduces the cesium three-probe optically pump, flux gate sensor, and automatic switching scheme design of the above-mentioned magnetometer. Moreover, it is proven through testing that the core indicators, such as the accuracy and sensitivity of the cesium three-probe optically pumped and flux gate sensor, reach international standards. Finally, the effectiveness of the automatic switching scheme proposed in this study is demonstrated through drone-mounted experiments.