NUCLEAR-QUADRUPOLE RESONANCE GAUSSOMETRY OF LOW MAGNETIC-FIELDS

A new method of measuring low magnetic fields accurately by employing a nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) technique in which a hexamethylene-tetramine [(CH2)6N4] Crystal is used as the detector is proposed here. By applying the magnetic field (B0) along the Z axis of the electric field gradient tensor at N-14 in this crystal (eta=0), one N-14 NQR line (nu0) splits into two lines (nu+ and nu-). The difference of these two lines (deltanu=nu+-nu-) is proportional to the applied low magnetic field. Consequently, the magnetic field can be measured with this frequency difference in terms of the nuclear magnetic moment of the N nucleus. The accuracy, advantages, and limitations of this technique are discussed.