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- Title
Single spin detection by magnetic resonance force microscopy.
- Authors
Rugar, D.; Budakian, R.; Mamin, H.J.; Chui, B.W.
- Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is well known as a powerful technique for visualizing subsurface structures with three-dimensional spatial resolution. Pushing the resolution below 1?µm remains a major challenge, however, owing to the sensitivity limitations of conventional inductive detection techniques. Currently, the smallest volume elements in an image must contain at least 1012 nuclear spins for MRI-based microscopy, or 107 electron spins for electron spin resonance microscopy. Magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) was proposed as a means to improve detection sensitivity to the single-spin level, and thus enable three-dimensional imaging of macromolecules (for example, proteins) with atomic resolution. MRFM has also been proposed as a qubit readout device for spin-based quantum computers. Here we report the detection of an individual electron spin by MRFM. A spatial resolution of 25?nm in one dimension was obtained for an unpaired spin in silicon dioxide. The measured signal is consistent with a model in which the spin is aligned parallel or anti-parallel to the effective field, with a rotating-frame relaxation time of 760?ms. The long relaxation time suggests that the state of an individual spin can be monitored for extended periods of time, even while subjected to a complex set of manipulations that are part of the MRFM measurement protocol.
- Subjects
MAGNETIC resonance force microscopy; MAGNETIC force microscopy; MAGNETIC resonance microscopy; THREE-dimensional imaging; IMAGING systems; ROTATIONAL motion
- Publication
Nature, 2004, Vol 430, Issue 6997, p329
- ISSN
0028-0836
- Publication type
Letter
- DOI
10.1038/nature02658