Experiments using Force-Detected Nuclear Magnetism: Coherent Electrons, Soft Matter, and Nanoscale NMR

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

Non-Technical Abstract: The research project extends the technique of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which now has only millimeter resolution (for example, in medical imaging of the human brain), to much higher, microscopic resolution. Thus the project will enable MRI imaging of single biological cells, to map out structure and function, and, for example, to identify cancerous cells. In addition, the magnetic resonance microscopy technique will be used to study electronic materials; for example, to identify defects in semiconductors that are currently preventing further miniaturization of microchips. One ultimate goal of this research is to develop the ability to image single, atom-scale magnets; such an invaluable achievement would enable the identification of the structure of biological molecules (for example, for anti-bioterrorism efforts and for the rational design of drugs and vaccines), as well as provide a model system for a so-called "quantum computer" which has been proposed as a powerful cryptography tool, impacting security and commerce. The project will also greatly expand our educational efforts in nanoscience and nanotechnology, providing research training of undergraduate and graduate students, including female and minority students at the University of Texas at Austin, and establishing a new pool of highly capable scientists. The effort will also provide research projects for students in our UTeach Master's in Physics Education program, which has been proven to produce and retain more highly qualified high school science teachers. Technical Abstract: The research project will use the new technology of force-detected nuclear magnetic resonance to perform several types of materials studies, probing micro-scale properties, including excitations in electronic materials and dynamics in soft matter. The technology combines magnetic resonance with scanning-probe microscopy, coupling the nuclear magnetism to micromagnets mounted on mechanical micro-oscillators. The electronic materials studies will probe the anisotropy of metal-insulator and metal-superconductor transitions in several compounds for which only micron-sized single crystals exist. The soft-matter studies will probe single biological molecules for structure, function, and diffusion studies. In addition, the research will further the development of single-nuclear-spin detection, providing a feasibility study with 20-nanometer resolution, and obtaining information on the feedback, stabilization, and nanomagnet technologies required for single-spin detection. The goals of single-spin detection include imaging applications and the coherent coupling and controlled entanglement of nuclear spin states, the latter to provide a model solid-state system for quantum computation. Imaging applications include the imaging of single biomolecules and the subsurface imaging of electronic devices. The project will greatly expand our educational efforts in nanoscience and nanotechnology, providing research training of undergraduate and graduate students, including female and minority students at the University of Texas at Austin, and establishing a new pool of highly capable scientists. The effort will also provide research projects for students in our UTeach Master's in Physics Education program, which has been proven to produce and retain more highly qualified high school science teachers.