Work

Through-Skin Pilot-Hole Detection and Localization With Atomic Magnetometers: Enhanced Penetration via Improved Magnetic Background Stabilization

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Efficient and accurate through-barrier pilot-hole localization is a requirement in several sectors of industry. Current approaches have limitations in either speed or performance, thus there is still a need for new technical solutions. Here we demonstrate an apparatus for enhanced-penetration pilot-hole localization with mechanically translatable atomic magnetometers (AMs). With an appropriate management of the environmental magnetic field fluctuations, we demonstrate pilot-hole localization through a 2.5 mm thick aluminum shield and an additional 1.5 mm thick insulating material. This represents a sixfold improvement in penetrating power through shields with respect to previous demonstrations with standard single-photon atomic magnetic resonance scheme set-ups.

Source: IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement

DOI: 10.1109/tim.2026.3718567

Authors: Han Yao, Ningzhen Yin, Xiangyi Tang, Ruoxi Wang, Ferruccio Renzoni

Institutions: Nanjing University of Science and Technology, University College London

Language: English

Topic: Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,645

OpenAlex ID: W7171842331

FWCI:

Cites: 25

Cited by:

Related to: 10