Imaging Dynamic Magnetic Fields with a Yb Magnetometer

Conventional magnetometers primarily provide scalar magnetic field measurements, limiting their ability to capture full vector components and spatially resolved maps in real time. This constraint hampers the study of complex, dynamic magnetic phenomena. Recent advances in atomic magnetometry, particularly the fluorescence imaging of thermal ytterbium (Yb) atoms have demonstrated high spatio-temporal sensitivity by visualizing magnetic field contours. By exciting atoms to new quantum states, we enable rapid two-dimensional vector field imaging. Building on this foundation, we extended the Yb atomic fluorescence magnetometer to two-dimensional imaging of dynamic magnetic fields by integrating a high-speed rotating permanent magnet synchronized with laser modulation to create stroboscopic imaging. By capturing multiple fluorescence images corresponding to different magnetic field pulse configurations at high speeds, we are able to derive meaningful data regarding field strength, dynamic interactions, and spatio-temporal dependence. Further development of this novel magnetometer could revolutionize magnetic field measurement across scientific and technological domains enabling breakthroughs from material science to biomedical imaging.