Nano Lett. 2017 Apr 12;17(4):2367-2373. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b05304. Epub 2017 Mar 24.

Nanoscale Imaging of Current Density with a Single-Spin Magnetometer.

Nano letters

K Chang, A Eichler, J Rhensius, L Lorenzelli, C L Degen

PMID: 28329445 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b05304

Abstract

Charge transport in nanostructures and thin films is fundamental to many phenomena and processes in science and technology, ranging from quantum effects and electronic correlations in mesoscopic physics, to integrated charge- or spin-based electronic circuits, to photoactive layers in energy research. Direct visualization of the charge flow in such structures is challenging due to their nanometer size and the itinerant nature of currents. In this work, we demonstrate noninvasive magnetic imaging of current density in two-dimensional conductor networks including metallic nanowires and carbon nanotubes. Our sensor is the electronic spin of a diamond nitrogen-vacancy center attached to a scanning tip and operated under ambient conditions. Using a differential measurement technique, we detect DC currents down to a few μA with a current density noise floor of ∼2 × 10

Keywords: Magnetic imaging; diamond nitrogen-vacancy center; electron paramagnetic resonance; quantum sensing; scanning probe microscopy; single spin

Publication Types

• Journal Article
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't