• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.151-158
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• 2002

We developed a useful SQUID magnetometer for biomagnetic applications, magnetoencepha-logram(MEG) and magnetocardiogram(MCG), etc. The SQUIDs are based on Double Relaxation Oscillation SQUID(DROS). DROS consists of two SQUIDs(signal SQUID and reference SQUID) in series, and a relaxation circuit of an inductor and a resistor. Specially we used single reference junction instead of the reference SQUID. The SQUIDs are based on hysteretic $Nb/AlO_{x}$Nb junctions, fabricated by using a simple four level process. Because DROS magnetometer has large flux-to-voltage transfer coefficient, we can use simple flux-locked loop electronics fur SQUID operation. When the DROS magnetometer was operated inside a magnetically shielded room, its average magnetic field noise was about 3 (equation omitted) at 100 Hz. This noise level is low enough to measure biomagnetic fields. In this paper, we describe noise characteristics of DROS magnetometer, depending on the operation condition . .

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.164-168
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• 2007

We developed a SQUID magnetometer based on Double Relaxation Oscillation SQUID(DROS) for measuring magnetocardiography(MCG). Since DROS provides a 10 times larger flux-to-voltage transfer coefficient than the conventional DC-SQUID, simple flux-locked loop electronics could be used for SQUID operation. Especially, we adopted an external feedback to eliminate the magnetic coupling with adjacent channels. When the DROS magnetometer was operated inside a magnetically shielded room, average magnetic field noise was about 5 $fT/^{\surd}Hz$ at 100 Hz. Using the DROS magnetometer, we constructed a multichannel MCG system. The system consisted of 61 magnetometers are arranged in a hexagonal structure and measures a vertical magnetic-field component to the chest surface. The distance between adjacent channels is 26 mm and the magnetometers cover a circular area with a diameter of 208 mm. We recorded the MCG signals with this system and confirmed the magnetic field distribution and the myocardinal current distribution.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2003

We designed and constructed a multichannel superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer system to measure magnetic fields from the human brain. We used a new type of SQUID, the double relaxation oscillation SQUID (DROS). With high flux-to-voltage transfers of the DROS, about 10 times larger than the dc SQUIDs, simple flux-locked loop circuits could be used for SQUID operation. Also the large modulation voltage of the DROS, typically being 100 $mutextrm{V}$, enabled stable flux-locked loop operation against the thermal offset voltage drift of the preamplifier. The magnetometers were fabricated using the Nb/AlOx/Nb junction technology. The SQUID system consists of 37 signal magnetometers, distributed on a semispherical surface, and 11 reference channels were installed to pickup background noises. External feedback was used to eliminate the magnetic coupling with the adjacent channels. The liquid helium dewar has a capacity of 29 L and boil-off rate of about 4 L/d with the total 48 channel insert. The magnetometer system has an average noise level of 3 fT/√Hz at 100 Hz, inside a shielded loon, and was applied to measure auditory-evoked fields.

• 한국초전도학회:학술대회논문집
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• v.16
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• pp.55-55
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• 2006

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2005

We have developed control electronics to operate flux-locked loop (FLL), and analog signal filters to process FLL outputs for 64-channel Double Relaxation Oscillation SQUID (DROS) magnetocardiography (MCG) system. Control electronics consisting of a preamplifier, an integrator, and a feedback, is compact and low-cost due to larger swing voltage and flux-to-voltage transfer coefficients of DROS than those of dc SQUIDs. Analog signal filter (ASF) serially chained with a high-pass filter having a cut-off frequency of 0.1 Hz, an amplifier having a gain of 100, a low-pass filter of 100 Hz, and a notch filter of 60 Hz makes FLL output suitable for MCG. The noise of a preamplifier in FLL control electronics is $7\;nV/{\surd}\;Hz$ at 1 Hz, $1.5\;nV/{\surd}\;Hz$ at 100 Hz that contributes $6\;fT/{\surd}\;Hz$ at 1 Hz, $1.3\;fT/{\surd}\;Hz$ at 100 Hz in readout electronics, and the noise of ASF electronics is $150\;{\mu}V/{\surd}\;Hz$ equivalent to $0.13\;fT/{\surd}\;Hz$ within the range of $1{\sim}100\;Hz$. When DROSs are connected to readout electronics inside a magnetically shielded room, the noise of 64-channel DROS system is $10\;fT/{\surd}\;Hz$ at 1 Hz, $5\;fT/{\surd}\;Hz$ at 100 Hz on the average, low enough to measure human MCG.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.159-165
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• 2003

We developed a 37-channel magnetoencephalogram (MEG) measurement system based on low-noise superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometets, and operated the system to measure MEG signals. By using double relaxation oscillation SQUIDs with high flux-4o-voltage transfers, the SQUID outputs could be measured directly by room temperature preamplifiers and compact readout circuits were used for SQUID operation. The average field noise level of the magnetometers is about 3 fT/√Hz in the white region, low enough for MEG measurements when operated inside a magnetically shielded room. The 37 magnetometers were distributed on a hemispherical surface haying a radius of 125 mm. In addition to the 37 sensing channels. 11 reference channels were installed to pickup external noise and to form software gradiometers. A low-noise liquid helium dewar was fabricated with a liquid capacity of 30 L and boil-off rate of 4 L/d. The signal processing software consists of digital filtering, software gradiometer, isofield mapping and source localization. By using the developed system, we measured auditory-evoked fields and localized the current dipoles, demonstrating the effectiveness of the system.

• 한국초전도학회:학술대회논문집
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• v.15
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• pp.54-54
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.164-165
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• 2002

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.1-28
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• 2004

Objectives : Human physiological changes in the state of qigong has been measured using EEG(Electroencephalography), functional MRI(functional Magnetic Resonance Image), EAV(Electro-Acupuncture according to Voll) and SQUID(Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) measurements. Methods & Results : EEGs were measured to study the differences between Qigong masters and Qi receiver on the changes of EEG. During Qigong, an alpha waves were increased. The power spectra indicate that the peak frequency of alpha waves increased during Qigong. Qi receiver's EEG signals seemed to affected by the state of himself. Brain activation did not observed when qigong master concentrates the Qi at Laogong(P8). But a localization of fMRI signal in the sensory cortex was observed by electric acupuncture stimulation at Laogong(P8). Five phase deviation of EAV were clearly changed in the both cases of Qigong master and Qi receiver. When a Qigong master concentrates the Qi at Yintang, Laogong(P8), Qihai(CV6) meridian points during Qigong state, the change of magnetic field around acupoints Yintang, Laogong points has been measured using 40-Channel DROS-SQUID apparatus. After smoothing process of the continuously measured magnetic signal around acupoints for a few minutes, we could observe that a series of peaks, magnitude of -1.0~2.5pT appeared. But there was no significant difference in changes of magnetic signal around acupoints. Physical signals of magnetocardiogram has been measured by using 2-Channel DROS SQUID(Magnetocardiogram). Physical signals of magnetocardiogram were clealy changed at the ST segments after S-wave when qigong master concentrates the Qi.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.1032-1038
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• 2005

Using the 2-channel DROS SQUID (Korea Research Institute of Standards of Science, 1999), the present study was carried out to record changes elicited in the auditory cortex by acupuncture stimulus (right GB43, Xiaxi). Needle-retention and manual needle-twitching stimulation of GB43 and SP1 were done for acquiring the brain activities changed by acupuncture. Acupoint GB43 is known to be effective for the treatment of ear-related disease, such as deafness and tinnitus, and to be suspected to be related to the auditory cortex. Auditory evoked magnetic fields were recorded from the left hemisphere of five or four subjects, in response to contralateral ear stimulation by irregularly spaced 170msec long 1kHz tone busts (Korea Research Institute of Standards of Science). The result as follows The latency and amplitude of SQUID MEG responses at the human auditory cortex changed by needle-retention condition on GB43 were 7.2msec and 1.617, respectively, which were slower and larger than those of no-acupuncture condition. The amplitude of SQUID MEG responses at the human auditory cortex changed by needle-twitching condition on GB43 was 13.517, which was larger than that of no-acupuncture condition. The change in SP1 following GB43 needle-twitching condition were not observed in latency. The amplitude changed by needle-twitching condition on SP1 was 12.2fT, which was not significant. These results suggested that auditory cortex can be affected by acupuncture stimulus, though not specific or significant because of small number of subjects.