title: Magnetic resonance force detection using a membrane resonator.
abstract: The availability of compact, low-cost magnetic resonance imaging instruments would further broaden the substantial impact of this technology. We report highly sensitive detection of magnetic resonance using low-stress silicon nitride (SiNx) membranes. We use these membranes as low-loss, high-frequency mechanical oscillators and find they are able to mechanically detect spin-dependent forces with high sensitivity enabling ultrasensitive magnetic resonance detection. The high force detection sensitivity stems from their high mechanical quality factor Q∼10(6)[1,2] combined with the low mass of the resonator. We use this excellent mechanical force sensitivity to detect the electron spin magnetic resonance using a SiNx membrane as a force detector. The demonstrated force sensitivity at 300K is 4fN/Hz, indicating a potential low temperature (4K) sensitivity of 25aN/Hz. Given their sensitivity, robust construction, large surface area and low cost, SiNx membranes can potentially serve as the central component of a compact room-temperature ESR and NMR instrument having spatial resolution superior to conventional approaches.
authors: Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Scozzaro
authors: Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Ruchotzke
authors: Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Belding
authors: Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Cardellino
authors: Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors: E C
authors: EC
authors: Blomberg
authors: Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors: B A
authors: BA
authors: McCullian
authors: Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors: V P
authors: VP
authors: Bhallamudi
authors: Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors: D V
authors: DV
authors: Pelekhov
authors: Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA. Electronic address: Hammel@physics.osu.edu.
authors: P C
authors: PC
authors: Hammel
keywords: Cyclic-saturation; ESR; MRFM; MRI; Membrane; Quality-factor; Silicon-nitride