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Exploring nanoscale magnetic phenomena using a quantum microscope

Research Project
 | 
01.10.2019
 - 30.09.2023

Quantum sensing technologies harness quantum phenomena, such as superposition or entanglement, to yield powerful sensors for quantities such as electric and magnetic fields, strain or temperature. Over the last years, such quantum sensors and in particular magnetometers based on individual spins in diamond have seen remarkable progress, in part based on the successful research and technological developments by the applicant's group at the University of Basel. Our state-of-the art quantum magnetometers, today offer spatial resolutions ~20 nm, magnetic field sensitivities sufficient to detect single electron spins and operate from cryogenic to ambient conditions. Their performance is thereby at the forefront of modern-day nanoscale sensing technologies and offer a highly attractive approach to address a wide range of challenging topics in nanoscience and technology, whose impact ranges from the life-sciences over semiconductor technologies to the fundamental physics questions we target here.In this project, we will build on this outstanding performance to address pressing open questions relevant to present-day research in condensed matter and mesoscopic physics. Specifically, we will employ our magnetometers to the emerging field of antiferromagnetic spintronics, to high-frequency dynamics of ferromagnets and to the low-temperature physics of superconductors and two-dimensional magnets in the atomic monolayer limit. Next to quantitative imaging of static magnetic spin textures or supercurrents, we will employ and further develop approaches to sense and image high-frequency magnetic fields with high resolution and sensitivity. Our novel and unique approach is ideally suited to yield insight into these physical systems, which is not readily accessible otherwise. Examples include the nanoscale probing and imaging of magnetic ordering in antiferromagnets, of spin-wave propagation in magnetic nanostructures or of magnetic ordering in atomically thin, silicene-based ferromagnets, which we will perform within this project. The scientific insights these studies will yield will have far-reaching impact in physics and material sciences and will offer new views on magnetism on the nanoscale.The main applicant is Prof. Dr. Patrick Maletinsky, an associate professor and head of the QuantumSensing Group, which he founded at the University of Basel in 2012. He has a strong background in quantum sensing, quantum optics, mesoscopic physics and nanotechnology. He obtained his physics diploma and doctoral degree at ETH Zurich and performed research in some of the world-leading research laboratories such as JILA or Harvard University. Together with international collaborators including the CNRS in France, research groups in Germany, Russia and Japan, and collaborators throughout Switzerland (Basel, ETH, EPFL, Geneva) this project establishes a coordinated, international effort to push the frontiers of condensed matter physics and nanotechnology using our novel, high-performance quantum sensors.Here we ask for the renewal of our soon to be concluded, three-year SNF project #169321, during which we have already achieved key breakthroughs of single-spin magnetometry in, e.g., the fields of antiferromagnetic spintronics or van-der-Waals magnetism. The present, challenging proposal builds on these achievements to not only advance our field or research but also further strengthen Switzerland's leading role quantum technology development and modern condensed matter research. We kindly ask the SNF to support this four year project with two postdocs and three PhD students who will ensure continuation of our highly successful line of experiments.

Funding

Exploring nanoscale magnetic phenomena using a quantum microscope

SNF Projekt (GrantsTool), 10.2019-09.2023 (48)
PI : Maletinsky, Patrick.

Members (4)

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Patrick Maletinsky

Principal Investigator
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Patrick Siegwolf

Project Member
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David Aaron Broadway

Project Member
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Natascha Hedrich

Project Member