DNV magnetic field detector

• US 10,725,124 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2018
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Boesch, Brian P., Bruce, Gregory Scott, Cammerata, Jeff D., Coar, David Nelson, Egan, Laird Nicholas, Fisk, Bryan Neal, Lew, Wilbur, Manickam, Arul, Sekelsky, Stephen Michael, Stetson, Jr., John B., Kaup, Peter G., Miller, Julie Lynne, Russo, Jon C., Stockman, Emanuel Solomon, Meyer, Thomas J., Krause, James Michael, Mabry, James P., Pepa, Elton
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nasir, Taqi R
• Application Number:
  US15/912,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20180196111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 324 66- 67, 324160-180, 324 711-157, 324425-470, 324200-263, 32475001-76401, 702 1-199, 73 37- 6509
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/032 using magneto-optic devices, e.g. Faraday or Cotton-Mouton effect
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft

Abstract

A system for magnetic detection includes a nitrogen vacancy (NV) diamond material comprising a plurality of NV centers, a radio frequency (RF) excitation source configured to provide RF excitation to the NV diamond material, an optical excitation source configured to provide optical excitation to the NV diamond material, an optical detector configured to receive an optical signal emitted by the NV diamond material, and a controller. The optical signal is based on hyperfine states of the NV diamond material. The controller is configured to detect a gradient of the optical signal based on the hyperfine states emitted by the NV diamond material.

Claims

1. A system for magnetic detection, comprising:

a magneto-optical defect center sensor comprising;

a magneto-optical defect center material comprising at least one magneto-optical defect center;

a radio frequency (RF) excitation source configured to provide RF excitations at various frequencies to the magneto-optical defect material;

an optical excitation source configured to provide optical excitation to the magneto-optical defect material;

an optical detector configured to receive the emitted optical signal from the magneto-optical defect center material, wherein the emitted optical signal varies in intensity based responsiveness of the magneto-optical defect center material to the optical excitation with RF excitations at various frequencies;

a controller configured to control the RF excitation source and the optical excitation source to provide a sequence of pulses to the magneto-optical defect center material at RF excitations at various frequencies;

wherein the controller is further configured to detect variations in the emitted optical signal based on responsiveness of the magneto-optical defect center material to the optical excitation at an RF excitation; and

wherein the controller is further configured to utilize RF excitations at various frequencies to detect vector variations in responsiveness of the magneto-optical defect center material.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the magneto-optical defect center sensor is configured to detect the magnetic field as a vector.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the magneto-optical defect center sensor is configured to detect the magnetic field in individual directions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the magneto-optical defect center sensor further comprises:

a magnetic field generator comprising at least two magnetic field generators including a first magnetic field generator configured to generate a first magnetic field and a second magnetic field generator configured to generate a second magnetic field;

wherein the controller is further configured to;

modulate a first code packet and control the first magnetic field generator to apply a first time varying magnetic field at the magneto-optical defect center material based on the modulated first code packet, and

modulate a second code packet and control the second magnetic field generator to apply a second time varying magnetic field at the magneto-optical defect center material based on the modulated second code packet, wherein the first code packet and the second code packet are binary sequences which have a low cross correlation with each other, and each of the binary sequences has a good autocorrelation.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein a direction of the first time varying magnetic field at the magneto-optical defect center material is different from a direction of the second time varying magnetic field at the magneto-optical defect center material.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the magneto-optical defect center sensor further comprises a reflector positioned about the magneto-optical defect center material to reflect a portion of light emitted from the magneto-optical defect center material.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first magnetic field sensor that includes the magneto-optical defect center sensor,

a second magnetic field sensor that includes a second magneto-optical defect center sensor, and

a position encoder component comprising a magnetic region configured to produce a magnetic field gradient from a first end of the magnetic region to the second end of the magnetic region.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the magnetic region comprises a ferromagnetic component.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the magnetic region comprises a magnetic polymer.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a third magnetic field sensor and a fourth magnetic field sensor.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle that includes the magneto-optical defect center sensor, wherein the magneto-optical defect center sensor is configured to detect a magnetic vector or a magnetic field;

one or more electronic processors configured to;

receive the magnetic vector of the magnetic field from the magneto-optical defect center sensor; and

a navigation control configured to navigate the vehicle based upon the presence of the magnetic vector.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the magneto-optical defect center material comprises a nitrogen vacancy (NV) diamond material comprising a plurality of NV centers.

13. A system for magnetic detection, comprising:

a magneto-optical defect center sensor comprising;

a magneto-optical defect center material comprising a plurality of magneto-optical defect centers;

a radio frequency (RF) excitation source configured to provide RF excitation at various frequencies to the magneto-optical defect center material;

an optical excitation source configured to provide optical excitation to the magneto-optical defect center material;

an optical detector configured to receive an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material, wherein the optical signal varies in intensity based on responsiveness of the magneto-optical defect center material to the optical excitation with RF excitation at various frequencies;

a controller configured to detect the optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material, wherein the controller is further configured to utilize the multiple RF excitations at various frequencies to detect vector variations in responsiveness of the magneto-optical defect center material; and

an array of sensors comprising the magneto-optical defect center sensor, wherein the array is configured to capture a first magnetic image and a second magnetic image; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the array, wherein the processor is configured to;

determine a background image based on the first magnetic image and identify discrepancies to the second magnetic image.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein some sensors of the array are arranged on a surface area of a well pay zone, wherein some sensors of the array are positioned in locations within or near the well bore.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the background by subtracting the first magnetic image from the second magnetic image, such background being used with further magnetic images.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the discrepancies identify a ferromagnetic material.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the magneto-optical defect center material comprises a nitrogen vacancy (NV) diamond material comprising a plurality of NV centers.

18. A system for magnetic detection, comprising:

a magneto-optical defect center sensor comprising;

a magneto-optical defect center means for generating an emitted optical signal comprising a plurality of magneto-optical defect centers;

a radio frequency (RF) excitation source configured to provide RF excitation at multiple frequencies to the magneto-optical defect center material;

an optical excitation source configured to provide optical excitation to the magneto-optical defect center material;

an optical detector configured to receive an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center means, wherein the optical signal is based on responsiveness of the magneto-optical defect center material to optical excitation and RF excitation at multiple frequencies; and

,

a controller configured to detect the optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material, wherein the controller is further configured to utilize the RF excitation at multiple frequencies to detect vector variations in responsiveness of the magneto-optical defect center means.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a magnetic waveform generator circuit that comprising:

a first switch coupled to a first rectifier element at a first node;

a first capacitor coupled, at a second node to the first switch, and to a fourth node;

a second capacitor coupled, at a third node to the first rectifier element, and to the fourth node; and

an inductor coupled between the first and the fourth nodes,

wherein the magnetic waveform generator circuit is configured to enable the inductor to generate a first magnetic field having a waveform resembling a positive half-cycle of a triangular waveform; and

wherein the magneto-optical defect center sensor is configured to detect the first magnetic field.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the magneto-optical defect center material comprises a nitrogen vacancy (NV) diamond material comprising a plurality of NV centers.