skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Induction-detection electron spin resonance with spin sensitivity of a few tens of spins

Abstract

Electron spin resonance (ESR) is a spectroscopic method that addresses electrons in paramagnetic materials directly through their spin properties. ESR has many applications, ranging from semiconductor characterization to structural biology and even quantum computing. Although it is very powerful and informative, ESR traditionally suffers from low sensitivity, requiring many millions of spins to get a measureable signal with commercial systems using the Faraday induction-detection principle. In view of this disadvantage, significant efforts were made recently to develop alternative detection schemes based, for example, on force, optical, or electrical detection of spins, all of which can reach single electron spin sensitivity. This sensitivity, however, comes at the price of limited applicability and usefulness with regard to real scientific and technological issues facing modern ESR which are currently dealt with conventional induction-detection ESR on a daily basis. Here, we present the most sensitive experimental induction-detection ESR setup and results ever recorded that can detect the signal from just a few tens of spins. They were achieved thanks to the development of an ultra-miniature micrometer-sized microwave resonator that was operated at ∼34 GHz at cryogenic temperatures in conjunction with a unique cryogenically cooled low noise amplifier. The test sample used was isotopically enriched phosphorus-dopedmore » silicon, which is of significant relevance to spin-based quantum computing. The sensitivity was experimentally verified with the aid of a unique high-resolution ESR imaging approach. These results represent a paradigm shift with respect to the capabilities and possible applications of induction-detection-based ESR spectroscopy and imaging.« less

Authors:
; ;  [1]
  1. Schulich Faculty of Chemistry Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000 (Israel)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22412735
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Applied Physics Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 106; Journal Issue: 8; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY; AMPLIFIERS; DETECTION; DOPED MATERIALS; ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE; ELECTRONS; EV RANGE; FARADAY INDUCTION; GHZ RANGE; MICROWAVE RADIATION; PARAMAGNETISM; PHOSPHORUS; QUANTUM COMPUTERS; RESONATORS; SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS; SENSITIVITY; SILICON; SPIN

Citation Formats

Artzi, Yaron, Twig, Ygal, and Blank, Aharon. Induction-detection electron spin resonance with spin sensitivity of a few tens of spins. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4913806.
Artzi, Yaron, Twig, Ygal, & Blank, Aharon. Induction-detection electron spin resonance with spin sensitivity of a few tens of spins. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4913806
Artzi, Yaron, Twig, Ygal, and Blank, Aharon. 2015. "Induction-detection electron spin resonance with spin sensitivity of a few tens of spins". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4913806.
@article{osti_22412735,
title = {Induction-detection electron spin resonance with spin sensitivity of a few tens of spins},
author = {Artzi, Yaron and Twig, Ygal and Blank, Aharon},
abstractNote = {Electron spin resonance (ESR) is a spectroscopic method that addresses electrons in paramagnetic materials directly through their spin properties. ESR has many applications, ranging from semiconductor characterization to structural biology and even quantum computing. Although it is very powerful and informative, ESR traditionally suffers from low sensitivity, requiring many millions of spins to get a measureable signal with commercial systems using the Faraday induction-detection principle. In view of this disadvantage, significant efforts were made recently to develop alternative detection schemes based, for example, on force, optical, or electrical detection of spins, all of which can reach single electron spin sensitivity. This sensitivity, however, comes at the price of limited applicability and usefulness with regard to real scientific and technological issues facing modern ESR which are currently dealt with conventional induction-detection ESR on a daily basis. Here, we present the most sensitive experimental induction-detection ESR setup and results ever recorded that can detect the signal from just a few tens of spins. They were achieved thanks to the development of an ultra-miniature micrometer-sized microwave resonator that was operated at ∼34 GHz at cryogenic temperatures in conjunction with a unique cryogenically cooled low noise amplifier. The test sample used was isotopically enriched phosphorus-doped silicon, which is of significant relevance to spin-based quantum computing. The sensitivity was experimentally verified with the aid of a unique high-resolution ESR imaging approach. These results represent a paradigm shift with respect to the capabilities and possible applications of induction-detection-based ESR spectroscopy and imaging.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4913806},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22412735}, journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
issn = {0003-6951},
number = 8,
volume = 106,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Mon Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}