Dead-zone suppression method of NMOR atomic magnetometers based on alignment and orientation polarization

Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation (NMOR) atomic magnetometers demonstrate exceptional sensitivity in the geomagnetic environment, making them highly attractive for applications in resource exploration, biological research, and fundamental physics studies. Nevertheless, the presence of the “dead zone” hampers the magnetometer’s capacity to detect magnetic fields with sensitivity. In this paper, we present a method for effectively mitigating the “dead zone” by simultaneous detection of alignment and orientation polarization. Based on the standard formalism of density matrix and Liouville Equation, theoretical models of alignment and orientation resonance signals as a function of the magnetic field are developed. Additionally, due to the large light intensity used in the actual system, the alignment to orientation conversion (AOC) effect has been taken into account to reveal a more complete model. The influence of light intensity on the alignment and orientation signals are investigated. It is found that there is an optimal theoretical light intensity, which makes the suppression effect of the “dead zone” best. The theoretical model aligns well with the experimental phenomenon and successfully minimizes the extent of the “dead zone”.