We describe an alkali-metal magnetometer for detection of weak magnetic fields in the radio-frequency (rf) range. High sensitivity is achieved by tuning the Zeeman resonance of alkali atoms to the rf frequency and partially suppressing spin-exchange collisions in the alkali-metal vapor. We demonstrate magnetic field sensitivity of 2 fT/Hz(1/2) at a frequency of 99 kHz with a resonance width of 400 Hz. We also derive a simple analytic expression for the fundamental limit on the sensitivity of the rf magnetometer and show that a sensitivity of about 0.01 fT/Hz(1/2) can be achieved in a practical system with a measurement volume of 200 cm3.

We describe a vector alkali-metal magnetometer that simultaneously and independently measures all three components of the magnetic field. Using a feedback system, the total field at the location of the magnetometer is kept near zero, suppressing the broadening due to spin-exchange collisions. The resonance linewidth and signal strength of the magnetometer compare favorably with two different scalar operation modes in which spin-exchange relaxation is only partially suppressed. Magnetic field sensitivity on the order of 1 pT/ ͱ Hz is demonstrated in a laboratory environment without magnetic shields.

Dynamic nuclear polarization, which transfers the spin polarization of electrons to nuclei, is routinely applied to enhance the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance. This method is particularly useful when spin hyperpolarization can be produced and controlled optically or electrically. Here we show complete polarization of nuclei located near optically polarized nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond. Close to the ground-state level anti-crossing condition of the nitrogen-vacancy electron spins, 13 C nuclei in the first shell are polarized in a pattern that depends sensitively upon the magnetic field. Based on the anisotropy of the hyperfine coupling and of the optical polarization mechanism, we predict and observe a reversal of the nuclear spin polarization with only a few millitesla change in the magnetic field. This method of magnetic control of high nuclear polarization at room temperature can be applied in sensitivity enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance of bulk nuclei, nuclear-based spintronics, and quantum computation in diamond.