Observing the steady-state visual evoked potentials with a compact quad-channel spin exchange relaxation-free magnetometer

We observed the steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP) from a healthy subject using a compact quad-channel potassium spin exchange relaxation-free (SERF) optically pumped magnetometer (OPM). To this end, 30 s of data were collected, and SSVEP-related magnetic responses with signal intensity ranging from 150 fT to 300 fT were observed for all four channels. The corresponding signal to noise ratio (SNR) was in the range of 3.5-5.5. We then used different channels to operate the sensor as a gradiometer. In the specific case of detecting SSVEP, we noticed that the short channel separation distance led to a strongly diminished gradiometer signal. Although not optimal for the case of SSVEP detection, this set-up can prove to be highly useful for other magnetoencephalography (MEG) paradigms that require good noise cancellation. Considering its compactness, low cost, and good performance, the K-SERF sensor has great potential for biomagnetic field measurements and brain-computer interfaces (BCI).