Double Relaxation Oscillation SQUID Systems for Biomagnetic Multichannel Measurements

Multichannel superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) systems based on double relaxation oscillation SQUIDs (DROS) were developed for measuring magnetocardiography (MCG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals. Since DROS provides large fluxto-voltage transfer coefficients, about 10 times larger than the DC SQUIDs, direct readout of the SQUID output was possible using compact roomtemperature electronics. Using DROSs, we fabricated two types of multichannel systems; a 37-channel magnetometer system with circular sensor distribution for measuring radial components of MEG signals, and two planar gradiometer systems of 40-channel and 62-channel measuring tangential components of MCG or MEG signals. The magnetometer system has external feedback to eliminate magnetic coupling with adjacent channels, and reference vector magnetometers were installed to form software gradiometers. The field noise of the magnetometers is around 3 fT/ √ Hz at 100 Hz inside a magnetically shielded room. The planar gradiometer systems have integrated first-order gradiometer in thin-film form with a baseline of 40 mm. The magnetic field gradient noise of the planar gradiometers is about 1 fT/cm/ √ Hz at 100 Hz. The planar gradiometers were arranged to measure field components tangential to the body surface, providing efficient measurement of especially MCG signals with smaller sensor coverage than the conventional normal component measurements. key words: SQUID, magnetometer, field noise, magnetoencephalography, magnetocardiography