Quantum sensing for materials characterization

Features indicating damage or defects, for example, can be identitfied within the magnetic field of a material. For materials testing, this means that damage, such as in the form of cracks, can be detected at an early stage—before it is visible with other methods. These magnetic signals are very weak, however, and can only be read out and interpreteded with a highly sensitive measurement technique.

At Fraunhofer IWM, we research how weak magnetic signals in material samples under stress can be used for the early detection of defects. However, early detection of defects in the magnetic field of the microsamples requires magnetic sensors that are considerably more sensitive than current systems. For this purpose, Fraunhofer IWM employs "optically pumped magnetometers" (OPMs), which are highly sensitive quantum magnetometers. Combined with the strengths of micro-testing technology, we can examine the connection between very weak magnetic signals and the material state. To this end, we have developed a test setup that uses quantum magnetometry to measure magnetic signals of material samples in the micrometer range that otherwise remain undetected.

Contact us and be part of the innovation!

At Fraunhofer IWM, we are driven by the desire to gain a deeper understanding of the signals we retrieve from the materials and to bring this understanding to fruition for industrial applications. By comparing the data with mechanical and micromagnetic simulations, we will bridge the gap between the micro- and nanoscale and real-world components used in everyday life. Being on the forefront of applied research at the intersection between academics and industry, we offer our partners the opportunity to be part of the next steps in materials science enabled by quantum magnetometry.

Contact us for individualized solutions to your problems based on quantum magnetometry and be part of the innovation as we invite you to take a look inside materials with us through the lens of magnetism.

Optically pumped magnetometers

In optically pumped mangnetometers (OPM), alkali atoms are used as probes for the magnetic field. The atoms are then brought into the same state byways of laser light. In an external magnetic field, the atoms then undergo a synchronous "Larmor precession," the frequency of which is proportional to the local magnetic field. In the basic operating mode, this precession signal can ultimately be read out optically and provides a calibration-free measure for the magnetic field. OPMs deliver highest sensitivites of 0.01pT/√Hz under ambient conditions.

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center mangnetometry

NV centers are individual atomic systems that act as highly sensitive sensors. Their unique advantage is their potential to be operated at room temperature and on background fields. They allow for extremely high spatial resolution and sensitivities in the range of a few nT/√Hz.

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