Patent ID: 8311767

Claim:
A magnetic navigation device, comprising: a three-axis magnetometer including first, second and third single-axis channels oriented mutually orthogonally, in which each of said first, second and third channels comprises: a photoresponsive solid-state crystalline device with lattice imperfections, where electrons of said lattice imperfections resonate at a given wavelength; a source of timed sequential pairs of light pulses at said given wavelength, said source being directed toward said device, wherein: (a) a first of said pulses raises an energy state of said electrons over a ground state, thereby creating distinct quantum spin state populations, and (b) a second of said pulses occurs at a time such that the energy state of said electrons is reduced to said ground state, whereby the reduction of said energy state generates photons which exit said device, the number of photons exiting said device being related to the magnitude of a component of the magnetic field through said device; and a photon detector for responding to said photons and for generating an electrical signal in response to said photons, said electrical signal being proportional to the component of the magnetic field in the direction of the channel; wherein at least one of a latitude location and a longitudinal location of said device are determinable from said electrical signals of said first, second and third single-axis channels.