Self-Calibrating Vector Helium Magnetometer (SVHM), Phase I

This Phase I SBIR proposal describes proposed development of a conceptual design for a Self-Calibrating Vector Helium Magnetometer (SVHM) for design and fabrication of a SVHM brass-board model in Phase II. The SVHM instrument is capable of making both scalar and vector component measurements of Earth and planetary magnetic fields. The SVHM innovation is use of the scalar field value to self-calibrate the vector measurements thereby eliminating the three fluxgate vector magnetometers and an independent scalar magnetometer usually required to correct for fluxgate drifts and offsets. The SVM concept was demonstrated under an ESTO IIP contract. The SVHM concept can achieve a dynamic range of +/-100,000 nT, vector and scalar accuracy with self-calibration of 1 nT, and sensitivity of 5 pT /%Hz. Miniaturization of the SVHM instrument to meet volume, power and mass goals will be achieved using fiber-coupled laser pump source and resonance drive, which permits miniaturization of the SVM sensor by reducing helium cell volume, by a factor of 10. The feasibility of designing and fabricating a brass-board SVHM model using advanced laser and digital components will be established in Phase I. A self-calibration and test protocol will be developed for demonstration in Phase II.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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