High Performance Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy

Abstract

We summarize the key advances resulting from our research program supported by ARO award W911NF-09-1-0147 between July 15, 2009 and July 14, 2013. We have used ultra-sensitive Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy detection Electron Spin Resonance, using (ESRMRFM), to perform spatially resolved scanned probe studies of spin dynamics in nanoscale ensembles of few electron spins of varying size. Our research culminated in observation that the distinction between two channels of energy flow from and within a spin system, typically characterized the spin-lattice relaxation time T_1 and the spin-spin relaxation time T_2 that are rigorously distinct in macroscopic systems become indistinguishable in nanoscale systems. This is because spin transport mediated by mutual spin flip-flop diffusion---arising from a T_2-like process---in a nanoscale quasi-1D spin nanowire can transfer energy from the measured spin system to the thermal reservoir outside the measured volume---behavior typical of T_1 processes. The spin nanowire we created in diamond by means of patterned nitrogen ion implantation represents an intriguing prototype element of a spintronic device in an attractive and widely used wide band gap semiconductor. ESR-MRFM, a scanned probe method capable of spatially resolved magnetic resonance detection, offers a powerful approach to understanding the spin properties and dynamics in the device-like environments where their dynamics and lifetime will be influenced by nanoscale confinement. Our theoretical model that explains the observed spin dynamics in confined nanoscale spin structures are supported by extensive numerical modeling that agree well with our experimental data. Using our understanding of the electron spin dynamics in confined nanoscale structures, we developed an improved measurement protocol, pi-OSCAR, that we that we used to demonstrate spectroscopic measurements on nanoscale spin ensembles of few electron spins. Our demonstration of nanoscale

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 12, 2013
Accession Number
ADA606598

Entities

People

  • P. C. Hammel

Organizations

  • Ohio State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Band Gaps
  • Chemical Vapor Deposition
  • Crystal Lattices
  • Detection
  • Electron Spin Resonance
  • Magnetic Moments
  • Magnetic Resonance
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
  • Resonance
  • Resonant Frequency
  • Semiconductor Devices
  • Semiconductors
  • Spin Resonance
  • Wide Bandgap Semiconductors

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Nanoscale Plasmonic Nanotechnology
  • Quantum spin resonance or Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics