Vector Magnetometry Research Articles

Robust high-dynamic-range vector magnetometry with nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond

We demonstrate a robust, scale-factor-free vector magnetometer, which uses a closed-loop frequency-locking scheme to simultaneously track Zeeman-split resonance pairs of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. This technique offers a three-orders-of-magnitude increase in dynamic range compared to open-loop methodologies; is robust against fluctuations in temperature, resonance linewidth, and contrast; and allows for simultaneous interrogation of multiple transition frequencies. By directly detecting the resonance frequencies of NV centers oriented along each of the diamond's four tetrahedral crystallographic axes, we perform full vector reconstruction of an applied magnetic field.

Vector magnetometer based on synchronous manipulation of nitrogen-vacancy centers in all crystal directions

Negatively charged nitrogen vacancy (NV−) centers in diamond have been extensively studied as high-sensitivity magnetometers, showcasing a wide range of applications. This study experimentally demonstrates a vector magnetometry scheme based on synchronous manipulation of NV− center ensembles in all crystal directions using double frequency microwaves (MWs) and multi-coupled-strip-lines (mCSL) waveguide. The application of the mCSL waveguide ensures a high degree of synchrony (99%) for manipulating NV− centers in multiple orientations in a large volume. Manipulation with double frequency MWs makes NV− centers of all four crystal directions involved, and additionally leads to an enhancement of the manipulation field. In this work, by monitoring the changes in the slope of the resonance line consisting of multi-axes NV− centers, measurement of the direction of the external field vector was demonstrated with a sensitivity of . Based on the scheme, the fluorescence signal contrast was improved by four times higher and the sensitivity to the magnetic field strength was improved by two times. The method provides a more practical way of achieving vector sensors based on NV− center ensembles in diamond.

High-resolution vector magnetometry: Piezo-spin-polarization effect and in-plane strain-induced dominating uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in a 200-nm-thick Ni thin film

Owing to its high-sensitivity, reliability, fast, versatile and cost-effective operation, vibrating sample magnetometers (VSM) are massively popular characterization instruments at Magnetism laboratories worldwide. Nevertheless, the inherent appearance of synchronous noise represents a major drawback, which critically limits the fine probing of nanometer-sized media. I here report on an innovative approach to eliminate synchronous noise in VSM. This consists of fitting engineered mechanical devices that absorbs vibration energy, dissipating that into heat. Complementarily, a novel transversal pick-up coil system is also presented and analyzed; this detection system has been engineered to enhance the noise-to-signal ratio and optimized for measuring small size thin film samples. The implementation of a combined mechanical and electromagnetic approach enables to notably enhance the VSM performance, achieving a sensitivity better than 1×10-6 emu and a resolution below 5×10-8 emu, so that the magnetization vector in nanostructured media can be accurately mapped out down to cryogenic temperatures. I lastly show precision magnetometry measurements carried out in an epitaxial (001)-oriented 200 nm-thick Ni thin film. The analysis reveals the arising of an in-plane dominating strain-induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, K2ef=-6.455kJ m-3, and a stunning piezo-spin-polarization effect resulting in a remarkable 10% modulation of the magnetization vector, ∼27 emu/cm3, with respect to the cubic lattice axes. Both effects are attributed to the likely existence of an orthorhombic lattice distortion, i.e.εxx-εyy≈-2×10-3. This categorical link enables to assign the observed anisotropic spin-polarization in the Ni overlayer to a two-ion magnetoelastic coupling effect.

Study of magnetization reversal in layered heterostructures by vector magnetometry

Multilayered films consisting of layer stacks with different anisotropies are studied by vector magnetometry i.e. simultaneous measurement of the components Mx, My along and perpendicular to the applied field respectively. The quantity Mx2+My2 is used as measure of the homogeneity of the reversal. For the [Co(6Å)/Pt(15Å)]4/(Pt(s))/[Co(10Å)/Pt(15Å)]4 with s=0–45Å series consisting of a perpendicular anisotropy bottom four-bilayer-stack coupled to a planar anisotropy top four-bilayer-stack a peak of the My component is clearly observed at the Mx coercivity. This is a sign of homogeneous reversal but it can be shown that similar effects can arise by decoupling of two layers with different (in-plane/perpendicular) anisotropies which is the case for s>15Å. In order to study the latter effect, a [Co(6Å)/Pt(15Å)]4/W(15Å)/Co(24Å) sample is used as a reference as it consists of a perpendicular anisotropy bottom four-bilayer-stack coupled to a vanishing anisotropy top Co layer through a W layer (which creates a magnetically inactive interface permitting only dipolar coupling). In contrast for [Co(5Å)/Pt(10Å)]6/Pt(s)/[Ni(15Å)/Pt(5Å)]6 series consisting of two different coercivity stacks which both have perpendicular anisotropy the decoupling does not manifest by appearance of peaks in the My component.

Direct observation of temperature-driven magnetic symmetry transitions by vectorial resolved MOKE magnetometry

Angle- and temperature-dependent vectorial magnetometry measurements are necessary to disentangle the effective magnetic symmetry in magnetic nanostructures. Here we present a detailed study on an Fe(1 0 0) thin film system with competing collinear biaxial (four-fold symmetry) and uniaxial (two-fold) magnetic anisotropies, carried out with our recently developed full angular/broad temperature range/vectorial-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect magnetometer, named TRISTAN. The data give direct views on the angular and temperature dependence of the magnetization reversal pathways, from which characteristic axes, remanences, critical fields, domain wall types, and effective magnetic symmetry are obtained. In particular, although the remanence shows four-fold angular symmetry for all investigated temperatures (15 K–400 K), the critical fields show strong temperature and angular dependencies and the reversal mechanism changes for specific angles at a given (angle-dependent) critical temperature, showing signatures of an additional collinear two-fold symmetry. This symmetry-breaking is more relevant as temperature increases to room temperature. It originates from the competition between two anisotropy contributions with different symmetry and temperature evolution. The results highlight the importance of combining temperature and angular studies, and the need to look at different magnetic parameters to unravel the underlying magnetic symmetries and temperature evolutions of the symmetry-breaking effects in magnetic nanostructures.

High-speed optical three-axis vector magnetometry based on nonlinear Hanle effect in rubidium vapor

The magnetic-field-compensation optical vector magnetometer based on the nonlinear Hanle effect in alkali metal vapor allowing two-axis measurement operation has been further elaborated for three-axis performance, along with significant reduction of measurement time. The upgrade was achieved by implementing a two-beam resonant excitation configuration and a fast maximum searching algorithm. Results of the proof-of-concept experiments, demonstrating 1 μTB-field resolution, are presented. The applied interest and capability of the proposed technique is analyzed.

Vector magnetometry of Fe/Cr/Fe trilayers with biquadratic coupling

The magnetic reversal of epitaxial Fe/Cr/Fe trilayer samples grown on GaAs is studied. In wedged samples both long and short period coupling oscillations associated with Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida (RKKY) coupling in Cr are seen in the easy axis saturation fields. By using vector vibrating sample magnetometry and both longitudinal and transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect magnetometry we are able to determine the exact reversal path of both the magnetic layers. Changes in the reversal behavior are seen with sub-monolayer changes of the thickness of the Cr interlayer. The two main reversal paths are described in terms of whether the reversal is dominated by bilinear RKKY coupling, which leads to an antiparallel state at remanence or by biquadratic coupling which leads to a 90 degree alignment of layers at remanence. The changing reversal behaviour is discussed with respect to the possibility of using such systems for multilayer memory applications and, in particular, the limits on the required accuracy of the sample growth.

Vector Magnetometry Using Silicon Vacancies in4H-SiC Under Ambient Conditions

Point defects in solids promise precise measurements of various quantities. Especially magnetic field sensing using the spin of point defects has been of great interest recently. When optical readout of spin states is used, point defects achieve optical magnetic imaging with high spatial resolution at ambient conditions. Here, we demonstrate that genuine optical vector magnetometry can be realized using the silicon vacancy in SiC, which has an uncommon S=3/2 spin. To this end, we develop and experimentally test sensing protocols based on a reference field approach combined with multi frequency spin excitation. Our works suggest that the silicon vacancy in an industry-friendly platform, SiC, has potential for various magnetometry applications at ambient conditions.

Spin Centres in SiC for Quantum Technologies

Atomic-scale colour centres in bulk and nanocrystalline SiC are promising for quantum information processing, photonics and sensing at ambient conditions. Their spin state can be initialized, manipulated and readout by means of optically detected magnetic resonance. It has been shown that there are at least two families of colour centres in SiC with S = 1 and S = 3/2, which have the property of optical alignment of the spin levels and allows a spin manipulation. The ground state and the excited state were demonstrated to have spin S = 3/2 and a population inversion in the ground state can be generated using optical pumping, leading to stimulated microwave emission even at room temperature. By controlling the neutron irradiation fluence, the colour centres concentration can be varied over several orders of magnitude down to a single defect level. Several, separately addressable spin centres have been identified in the same crystal for each polytype, which can be used either for magnetic field or temperature sensing. Some of these spin centres are characterised by nearly temperature independent zero-field splitting, making these centres very attractive for vector magnetometry. Contrarily, the zero-field splitting of the centres in the excited state exhibits a giant thermal shift, which can be used for thermometry applications. Finally coherent manipulation of spin states has been performed at room temperature and even at temperatures higher by hundreds of degrees. SiC is taking on a new role as a flexible and practical platform for harnessing the new quantum technologies.

NV-center diamond cantilevers: Extending the range of available fabrication methods

We present an alternative fabrication process for single crystal diamond cantilevers that consist of a platform carrying a nanopillar containing nitrogen vacancy centers close to its surface. These cantilevers are suitable for vector magnetometry by fitting them to the scanning unit of an atomic force microscope. Our methods extend existing technology to lower electron voltages (30kV) and standard reactive ion etching. Special procedures are presented to overcome both restrictions due to charging of the diamond during electron beam lithography and limitations of the etch depth due to the low plasma density in reactive ion etching systems. The presence of nitrogen vacancy centers in the fabricated nanostructures is confirmed by photoluminescence measurements.

Polarized neutron reflectometry of magnetic nanostructures

Among a number of methods employed to characterize various types of magnetic nano-structures Polarized Neutron Reflectometry (PNR) is shown to be a unique tool providing a scope of quantitative information on magnetization arrangement over relevant scales. Deeply penetrating into materials neutron spins are able to resolve vectorial profile of magnetic induction with accuracy of a fraction of Oersted over a fraction of nano-meters. This property is exploited in measurements of specular PNR which hence constitutes the method of depth resolved vector magnetometry widely used to examine magnetic states in exchange coupled magnetic superlattices, exchange bias systems, spin valves, exchange springs, superconducting/ferromagnetic heterostructure, etc. Off-specular polarized neutron scattering (OS-PNS) measures the in-plane magnetization distribution over scales from hundreds of nanoto hundreds of micrometers providing, in combination with specular PNR, access to lateral long range fluctuations of the magnetization vector and magnetic domains in these systems. OSPNS is especially useful in studies of co-operative magnetization reversal processes in various films and multilayers laterally patterned into periodic arrays of stripes, or islands of various dimentions, shapes, internal structures, etc., representing an interest for e.g. spintronics. Smaller sizes of 10?100 nm are accessed with the method of Polarized Neutrons Grazing Incidence Small Angle Scattering (PN-GISAS), which in a combination with specular PNR and OS-PNS is used to study self-assembling of magnetic nano-particles on flat surfaces, while Polarized Neutron Grazing Incidence Diffraction (PN-GID) complete the scope of magnetic information over wide range of scales in 3D space. The review of recent results obtained employing the methods listed above is preceded by the detailed theoretical consideration and exemplified by new developments addressing with PNR fast magnetic kinetics in nano-systems.

Vector magnetometry based onS=32electronic spins

Electronic spin systems with S>1/2 provide an efficient method for DC vector magnetometry, since the conventional electron spin resonance spectra at a given magnetic field reflect not only the field strength but also orientation in the presence of strong spin-spin interactions. S=1 spins, e.g. the nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond, have been intensively investigated for such a purpose. In this report, we compare S=1 and S=3/2 spins, and discuss how one can apply general principles for the use of high spin systems as a vector magnetometer to the S=3/2 spin systems. We find analytical solutions which allow a reconstruction of the magnetic field strength and polar angle using the observed resonance transitions if an uniaxial symmetry exists for the spin-spin interaction as in S=1 systems. We also find that an ambiguity of determining the field parameters may arise due to the unique properties of S=3/2 systems, and present solutions for it utilizing additional transitions in the low-field region. The electronic spins of the silicon vacancy in silicon carbide will be introduced as a model for the S=3/2 DC vector magnetometer and the practical usage of it, including the magic-angle spinning type method, will be presented too.

High-Precision Angle-Resolved Magnetometry with Uniaxial Quantum Centers in Silicon Carbide

We show that uniaxial color centers in silicon carbide with hexagonal lattice structure can be used to measure not only the strength but also the polar angle of the external magnetic field with respect to the defect axis with high precision. The method is based on the optical detection of multiple spin resonances in the silicon vacancy defect with quadruplet ground state. We achieve a perfect agreement between the experimental and calculated spin resonance spectra without any fitting parameters, providing angle resolution of a few degrees in the magnetic field range up to several millitesla. Our approach is suitable for ensembles as well as for single spin-3/2 color centers, allowing for vector magnetometry on the nanoscale at ambient conditions.

Atomic-Scale Defects in Silicon Carbide for Quantum Sensing Applications

Atomic-scale defects in silicon carbide exhibit very attractive quantum properties that can be exploited to provide outstanding performance in various sensing applications. Here we provide the results of our studies of the spin-optical properties of the vacancy related defects in SiC. Our studies show that several spin-3/2 defects in silicon carbide crystal are characterized by nearly temperature independent axial crystal fields, which makes these defects very attractive for vector magnetometry. The zero-field splitting of another defect exhibits on contrast a giant thermal shift of 1.1 MHz/K at room temperature, and can be used for temperature sensing applications.

Vectorial magnetometry with second-harmonic generation effect in studies of implantation induced inhomogeneity in garnet films

The magnetization-induced second-harmonic generation (MSHG) effect was applied to study changes of magnetization distribution caused by H2+ ions implantation in magnetic garnet film of (111) symmetry. The evolution of the magnetization vector m in perpendicular magnetic field H was studied as a function of coherently rotated polarizers by an angle φ. The I2ω(H,φ) intensities exhibit completely different character as compared to the unimplanted film. The experimental results were explained in the frame of a phenomenological model of the MSHG effect, developed for the structure of 3m symmetry, composed of implanted and unimplanted sublayers. The theoretical approach allowed to determine the amplitudes and phases of nonlinear optical susceptibility tensor elements χ[2] as well as the m(H) vector components. In contrast to the linear magneto-optical Faraday effect, application of nonlinear MSHG method allows for simultaneous determination of all components of the magnetization vector in single experiment. It ...

Exchange coupling in hybrid anisotropy magnetic multilayers quantified by vector magnetometry

Hybrid anisotropy thin film heterostructures, where layers with perpendicular and in-plane anisotropy are separated by a thin spacer, are novel materials for zero/low field spin torque oscillators and bit patterned media. Here, we report on magnetization reversal and exchange coupling in a archetypal Co/Pd (perpendicular)-NiFe (in-plane) hybrid anisotropy system studied using vector vibrating sample magnetometry. This technique allows us to quantify the magnetization reversal in each individual magnetic layer, and measure of the interlayer exchange as a function of non-magnetic spacer thickness. At large (>1 nm) spacer thicknesses Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida-like exchange dominates, with orange-peel coupling providing a significant contribution only for sub-nm spacer thickness.

Direct imaging of the magnetization reversal in microwires using all-MOKE microscopy.

We report a method of imaging of the magnetization reversal process using analysis of real-time images of magnetic domain structures in cylindrically shaped microwires. This method uses wide-field polarizing optical microscopy and is based on the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE). The aperture diaphragm in MOKE microscope was used to control the incident angles of the light rays that reached the non-planar surface of the microwire and also determined the MOKE geometries. The movement of the non-central position of the hole in this diaphragm leads to a change in the orientation of the plane of incidence of the light along the perpendicular or the parallel direction to the axial direction of the wire. The visualization of the surface magnetic domain structures is obtained using polar and longitudinal MOKE geometries. The hysteresis loops were obtained by plotting the averaged image contrast as a function of the external magnetic field. The separation of the all-magnetization components is performed using different MOKE geometries in a microscope. We demonstrate the use of vector magnetometry to analyze the orientation of the magnetization in a cylindrically shaped microwire under the influence of an external magnetic field.

Applicability of the Stoner-Wohlfarth Model for Ni-Fe Graded Thin Films

Fe-Ni graded films have been prepared by co-sputtering permalloy and Fe targets at different time-power sequences. Morpho-structural and magnetic investigations have been performed by transmission electron microscopy, Xray reflectometry, conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy and magneto-optic Kerr effect vector magnetometry, proving the thickness dependence of the properties. A magnetization reversal involving the displacement of Bloch-type walls is characteristic for a 115 nm thick Fe-Ni graded film whereas an in-plane coherent rotation of the spins, according to a Stoner-Wohlfarth mechanism was evidence for a 23 nm thick Fe-Ni graded film.

Magnetic field and temperature sensing with atomic-scale spin defects in silicon carbide.

Quantum systems can provide outstanding performance in various sensing applications, ranging from bioscience to nanotechnology. Atomic-scale defects in silicon carbide are very attractive in this respect because of the technological advantages of this material and favorable optical and radio frequency spectral ranges to control these defects. We identified several, separately addressable spin-3/2 centers in the same silicon carbide crystal, which are immune to nonaxial strain fluctuations. Some of them are characterized by nearly temperature independent axial crystal fields, making these centers very attractive for vector magnetometry. Contrarily, the zero-field splitting of another center exhibits a giant thermal shift of −1.1 MHz/K at room temperature, which can be used for thermometry applications. We also discuss a synchronized composite clock exploiting spin centers with different thermal response.

He I VECTOR MAGNETOMETRY OF FIELD-ALIGNED SUPERPENUMBRAL FIBRILS

Atomic-level polarization and Zeeman effect diagnostics in the neutral helium triplet at 10830 angstroms in principle allow full vector magnetometry of fine-scaled chromospheric fibrils. We present high-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of superpenumbral fibrils in the He I triplet with sufficient polarimetric sensitivity to infer their full magnetic field geometry. He I observations from the Facility Infrared Spectropolarimeter (FIRS) are paired with high-resolution observations of the Halpha 6563 angstroms and Ca II 8542 angstroms spectral lines from the Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer (IBIS) from the Dunn Solar Telescope in New Mexico. Linear and circular polarization signatures in the He I triplet are measured and described, as well as analyzed with the advanced inversion capability of the "Hanle and Zeeman Light" (HAZEL) modeling code. Our analysis provides direct evidence for the often assumed field alignment of fibril structures. The projected angle of the fibrils and the inferred magnetic field geometry align within an error of plus or minus 10 degrees. We describe changes in the inclination angle of these features that reflect their connectivity with the photospheric magnetic field. Evidence for an accelerated flow (approx 40 m/s^2) along an individual fibril anchored at its endpoints in the strong sunspot and weaker plage in part supports the magnetic siphon-flow mechanism's role in the inverse Evershed effect. However, the connectivity of the outer endpoint of many of the fibrils cannot be established.