A great weapon of a country, research in Hangzhou! How will the tiny "zero magnetic" space expand the boundaries of humanity?

According to Binjiang, the construction of the first cross-research platform infrastructure project of the Hangzhou Ultra-Weak Magnetic Facility started on October 30. Liu Jie, deputy secretary of the provincial party committee and secretary of the municipal party committee, announced the start of construction, and Fang Jiancheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, attended the event.

The extremely weak magnetic field facility is a major national scientific and technological infrastructure. Similar facilities include China's FAST telescope, the hard X-ray free electron laser device, and the high-energy synchrotron radiation source.

As Hangzhou's first cross-disciplinary research platform, it is mainly responsible for the experimental verification of major scientific and technological achievements and the important mission of breaking through the constraints of key technologies and equipment.

What is "extremely weak magnetic field"?

Some people say that when two people miss each other to a certain degree, a magnetic field will be generated. This sounds a bit mysterious, but it is indeed true.

Modern science and technology have revealed that all substances have magnetism and magnetic fields exist in any space. Long-term scientific research has shown that most substances have weak magnetism.

For example, how strong is the magnetic field generated by the human brain? It is very weak, about 100 fT (unit of magnetic induction intensity), which is about one billionth of the Earth's magnetic field.

Therefore, if we want to define "extremely weak magnetic field", it specifically refers to the magnetic field that is difficult to measure or cannot be perceived because it is too weak.

What’s the point of measuring such a weak magnetic field?

If humans want to obtain information about objects, they must measure them. The more precise the measurement, the more accurate and valuable the information obtained.

After two generations of development in electromechanical and optical methods, precision measurement has entered the quantum era, gradually realizing ultra-high sensitivity magnetic field measurement.

The development history of extremely weak magnetic field measurement technology

Ultra-high sensitivity magnetic field measurements are divided into orders of magnitude. In the field of extremely weak magnetic measurements, the initial sensitivity of magnetometers was on the order of nT, 10-9 (ie 0.000000001) Tesla; optically pumped magnetometers can reach the pT level, i.e. 10-12 Tesla; and superconducting quantum interference magnetometers can reach the fT level, 10-15 Tesla.

Previously, many ideas could not be realized in real life due to the fact that the accuracy of the measuring equipment did not meet the requirements. With ultra-high sensitivity magnetic field measurement, humans can obtain new experimental data, reveal new natural phenomena, and discover new scientific laws, thus gaining a new tool for understanding the world.

In summary, the major scientific and technological infrastructure of ultra-high sensitivity and extremely weak magnetic fields has three main functions:

1. Generate new scientific discoveries: neural signal measurement and brain science research, achieve "precision measurement", and verify major propositions such as cutting-edge physics EDM (electric dipole moment).

2. Overcome the pathogenesis of major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases: ultra-high-resolution extremely weak magnetic imaging technology to achieve "high-definition imaging".

3. Realize “Made in China” high-end medical devices: Ultra-weak magnetic imaging replaces functional nuclear magnetic resonance and promotes cross-generational development of high-end medical equipment.

Let me give you a few examples so you can understand -

Future construction content of ultra-high sensitivity quantum ultra-weak magnetic field

For example, high-precision measurement of EDM (electric dipole moment) achieved through ultra-high sensitivity magnetic field measurement can solve the problem of the difference between matter and antimatter in the universe, verify the correctness of the Big Bang theory, and provide support for research on the origin of the universe.

For example, in the field of deep space and deep earth exploration, since materials are magnetized by environmental magnetic fields of different times and intensities, they will exhibit different magnetism. Therefore, ultra-high sensitivity magnetic field measurements can be used to measure and analyze the extremely weak magnetism of materials.

On July 23, 2020, my country launched the Mars probe "Tianwen-1". Through the extremely weak magnetic testing and analysis of materials returned from Mars samples, my country has gained a further understanding of the evolution of Mars and the universe.

In deep earth exploration, magnetic measurements of rock samples can help us explore ancient environments and ancient climate changes and find the laws of earth's climate evolution.

From the vast universe back to human beings. We know that there is a disease called "epilepsy", which is a chronic disease in which brain neurons suddenly discharge abnormally, leading to temporary brain dysfunction.

At present, medical devices based on structural imaging cannot effectively diagnose developmental brain diseases such as epilepsy and autism, degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, and other mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia.

Ultra-high sensitivity and extremely weak magnetic field measurement opens up new avenues for neuroscience and brain science research

Through extremely weak brain magnetocardiography and magnetic ultrasound, a high temporal and spatial resolution imaging system can be established to achieve imaging and analysis of the magnetic source of the organism, providing a passive, non-destructive, wearable, and highly sensitive new treatment method for the above brain diseases.

In terms of heart disease diagnosis, angina pectoris and myocardial infarction cannot be detected through electrocardiograms, as the electrocardiograms of patients are the same as those of normal people. However, magnetocardiograms can be used to detect angina pectoris and myocardial infarction. By using extremely weak magnetic field measurement technology to capture the weak magnetic signals emitted by the body itself and draw a three-dimensional magnetic map, doctors can more quickly diagnose symptoms.

Brain magnetocardiography detection functional imaging high-end medical equipment

Acupuncture is a very magical method. Its mechanism is that after acupuncture of the meridian points of the human body, it causes changes in brain magnetic signals. In the future, by studying more acupuncture points, acupuncture details and other factors, and measuring the brain magnetic signal feedback after acupuncture of different acupuncture points, acupuncture treatment plans can be further optimized.

The world's only "zero-magnetic" space with the highest performance and largest space will be built within ten years

Back to the news released by Binjiang, it was mentioned that the user unit of this project is the Hangzhou Institute of Major Scientific and Technological Infrastructure for Extremely Weak Magnetic Fields.

The institute was established in December 2020 and is located in Hangzhou National High-tech Industrial Development Zone (Binjiang District). Professor Fang Jiancheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, serves as its chairman and chief scientist.

Academician Fang Jiancheng is currently the director of the Academic Committee of Beihang University, chief scientist of the National Major Scientific and Technological Infrastructure of Extremely Weak Magnetic Field, director of the National Defense Key Discipline Laboratory of New Inertial Instruments and Navigation System Technology, dean of the Scientific Device Research Institute of Beihang University, and director of the Zero Magnetic Science Center.

According to the institute's official website, it mainly focuses on the country's major strategic needs, develops ultra-high sensitivity and extremely weak magnetic field and inertial measurement devices, provides effective means for cutting-edge research in neuroscience and brain science, basic physics, etc., and serves space exploration and metrology testing.

At the same time, facing the main battlefields of life, health and economy, the institute conducts research on chip-level quantum sensor technology and high-resolution extremely weak magnetic field human functional imaging technology, promotes the industrialization of high-precision quantum sensors, and realizes original innovation of high-end medical equipment.

It is understood that the Hangzhou Extremely Weak Magnetic Facility is located in the International Zero Magnetic Science Valley.

In the future, four technology innovation centers will be built, including chip-based quantum sensing and system technology, new generation medical imaging equipment, new generation magnetic technology equipment, and quantum precision measurement and instrumentation, and a "Zero Magnetic Science Valley" and a Quantum Sensing Science City will be built.

Taking the establishment of this large facility as an opportunity, Binjiang District planned to build the International Zero Magnetic Science Valley·Hangzhou Jiangnan Science City, with a total planned area of ​​approximately 37 square kilometers. It will connect the west city science and technology innovation corridor in the west and the east city smart manufacturing corridor in the east, forming an innovation and development pattern that links the north and the south. It will provide important support for Hangzhou's efforts to create a comprehensive national science center.

According to the idea of ​​Academician Fang Jiancheng, within ten years, the Hangzhou Extremely Weak Magnetic Field Facility will be built into the world's only "zero magnetic" space with the highest performance and largest space. "This has been my wish for many years."

References and image sources:

1. “Quantum Precision Measurement and Sensing”, official website of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

2.Official website of Hangzhou National Institute of Extremely Weak Magnetic Field.

Metropolis Express·Chengshi Interactive reporter Yin Junling and Lin Jianan