Magnetic Induction Imaging With A Cold-Atom Radio Frequency Magnetometer

The sensitive detection of either static or radio frequency (RF) magnetic fields is essential to many fundamental studies and applications. Here, we demonstrate the operation of a cold-atom-based RF magnetometer in performing 1D and 2D imaging of small metallic objects. It is based on a cold Rb-85 atomic sample and operates in an unshielded environment with no active field stabilization. It shows a sensitivity up to200pT / Hz in the5 - 35kHz bandwidth range and can resolve a 0.4mm wide cut in a 0.8mm thick metallic foil. The characteristics of our system make it a good candidate for applications in civil and industrial surveillance.