Integration of Fluorescent, NV-Rich Nanodiamond Particles with AFM Cantilevers by Focused Ion Beam for Hybrid Optical and Micromechanical Devices

Mateusz Ficek,Adam M Wojciechowski,Teodor P Gotszalk,Krystian Sycz,Maciej J Głowacki,Wojciech Gawlik,Piotr Kunicki,Krzysztof Gajewski,Robert Bogdanowicz,Ewelina Gacka,Mariusz Mrózek

doi:10.3390/coatings11111332

Abstract

In this paper, a novel fabrication technology of atomic force microscopy (AFM) probes integrating cantilever tips with an NV-rich diamond particle is presented. Nanomanipulation techniques combined with the focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID) procedure were applied to position the NV-rich diamond particle on an AFM cantilever tip. Ultrasonic treatment of nanodiamond suspension was applied to reduce the size of diamond particles for proper geometry and symmetry. The fabricated AFM probes were tested utilizing measurements of the electrical resistance at highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and compared with a standard AFM cantilever performance. The results showed novel perspectives arising from combining the functionalities of a scanning AFM with optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR). In particular, it offers enhanced magnetometric sensitivity and the nanometric resolution.

Highlights

Published: 29 October 2021Scanning probe magnetometry greatly benefits from utilising nitrogen-vacancy (NV)colour centres [1], which provide the systems with high spatial resolution that are extremely sensitive to magnetic fields and can operate across a broad range of temperatures [2].Atomic force microscopy (AFM) technology is typically implemented to create nanosensors of magnetic fields based on diamond particles with NV centres
According to the volume-weighted particle size distribution (PSD) measured via dynamic light scattering (DLS), the sizes of the as-received nanodiamond particles were in a range of 300–1500 nm, with 750 nm being the central peak of the distribution
Instead of measuring the particle size distributions in the suspensions with the use of DLS, the SEM images were digitally processed for two reasons

Summary

Introduction

Scanning probe magnetometry greatly benefits from utilising nitrogen-vacancy (NV). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) technology is typically implemented to create nanosensors of magnetic fields based on diamond particles with NV centres. There have been many examples of scanning probe microscopy with diamond probes containing single NV centres for nanoscale magnetometry [3,4,5,6] with nanometer resolution. In these applications, single nanodiamonds with a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre coupled to an atomic force microscope (AFM), are helpful to quantitatively map the stray magnetic field, and for studies of nanomechanical properties of biological molecules, organelle, and living cells.

Methods

Results

Conclusion