Journal Article

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy on a (5-Nanometer) 3 Sample Volume

Pezzagna, S., Reinhard, F., Meijer, J., Meriles, C. A., Du, J., Staudacher, T., Shi, F., Wrachtrup, J.

2013

Overview

Although nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods can be used for spatial imaging, the low sensitivity of detectors limits the minimum sample size. Two reports now describe the use of near-surface nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defects in diamond for detecting nanotesla magnetic fields from very small volumes of material (see the Perspective by Hemmer ). The spin of the defect can be detected by changes in its fluorescence, which allows proton NMR of organic samples only a few nanometers thick on the diamond surface. Mamin et al. (p. 557 ) used a combination of electron spin echoes and pulsed NMR manipulation of the proton spins to detect the very weak fields. Staudacher et al. (p. 561 ) measured statistical polarization of a population of about 10 4 spins near the NV center with a dynamical decoupling method. The optical response of the spin of a near-surface atomic defect in diamond can be used to sense proton magnetic fields. [Also see Perspective by Hemmer ] Application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to nanoscale samples has remained an elusive goal, achieved only with great experimental effort at subkelvin temperatures. We demonstrated detection of NMR signals from a (5-nanometer) 3 voxel of various fluid and solid organic samples under ambient conditions. We used an atomic-size magnetic field sensor, a single nitrogen-vacancy defect center, embedded ~7 nanometers under the surface of a bulk diamond to record NMR spectra of various samples placed on the diamond surface. Its detection volume consisted of only 10 4 nuclear spins with a net magnetization of only 10 2 statistically polarized spins.

• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science,The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subject: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties / Defects / detectors / Diamonds / Electron spin / Exact sciences and technology / fluorescence / image analysis / Magnetic fields / Magnetic resonances and relaxations in condensed matter, mössbauer effect / Nanostructure / Nanotechnology / Nitrogen / NMR / Nuclear magnetic resonance / Nuclear magnetic resonance and relaxation / nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy / Physics / Samples / Spectroscopy / Spectrum analysis / spinning / Statistical analysis / Statistical methods