Design and Performance of Laser-Pumped Cs-Magnetometers for the Planned UCN EDM Experiment at PSI

We designed laser-pumped cesium vapor magnetometers in the M(x) configuration for the control and stabilization of magnetic field fluctuations and gradients in a new experiment searching for a permanent electric dipole moment of the neutron. The intrinsic sensitivity of the device was determined to be 30 fT in a measurement bandwidth of 1 Hz, limited by laser noise. In the shot noise limit the magnetometer can reach a sensitivity of 7 fT for 1 s integration time. Test measurements of the stability of a 2 µT magnetic field in a threefold magnetic shield have revealed fluctuations on the order of 200 fT to 300 fT with integration times in the range of 2 s to 100 s. Those fluctuations were traced back to the stability of the power supply used to generate the magnetic field. The laser-pumped magnetometer fulfills the requirements set by the planned neutron electric dipole moment experiment.