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1.
Appl Opt ; 61(21): 6316-6321, 2022 Jul 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36256246

ABSTRACT

We demonstrate the feasibility of making antireflection coatings (ARCs) for terahertz (THz) light using multilayered polymer films from commercial adhesive tapes. Efficient and low-cost ARCs in the THz range are not conveniently available. Our economical approach can mitigate many of the experimental challenges posed by Fresnel reflection. Harnessing a time-domain THz spectrometer, we demonstrate the performance of several types of multilayer coatings on a variety of substrates. By varying layer stacking and thicknesses, spectral performance can be tuned and optimized for specific applications. Good agreement is found between experimental measurement and analytic calculations evaluating the performance of these multilayer tape ARCs.

2.
ACS Photonics ; 8(3): 702-708, 2021 Mar 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33763504

ABSTRACT

Broadband THz pulses enable ultrafast electronic transport experiments on the nanoscale by coupling THz electric fields into the devices with antennas, asperities, or scanning probe tips. Here, we design a versatile THz source optimized for driving the highly resistive tunnel junction of a scanning tunneling microscope. The source uses optical rectification in lithium niobate to generate arbitrary THz pulse trains with freely adjustable repetition rates between 0.5 and 41 MHz. These induce subpicosecond voltage transients in the tunnel junction with peak amplitudes between 0.1 and 12 V, achieving a conversion efficiency of 0.4 V/(kV/cm) from far-field THz peak electric field strength to peak junction voltage in the STM. Tunnel currents in the quantum limit of less than one electron per THz pulse are readily detected at multi-MHz repetition rates. The ability to tune between high pulse energy and high signal fidelity makes this THz source design effective for exploration of ultrafast and atomic-scale electron dynamics.

3.
Nanoscale ; 12(21): 11619-11626, 2020 Jun 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32435779

ABSTRACT

Minimizing the invasiveness of scanning tunneling measurements is paramount for observation of the magnetic properties of unperturbed atomic-scale objects. We show that the invasiveness of STM inspection on few-atom spin systems can be drastically reduced by means of a remote detection scheme, which makes use of a sensor spin weakly coupled to the sensed object. By comparing direct and remote measurements we identify the relevant perturbations caused by the local probe. For direct inspection we find that tunneling electrons strongly perturb the investigated object even for currents as low as 3 pA. Electrons injected into the sensor spin induce perturbations with much reduced probability. The sensing scheme uses standard differential conductance measurements, and is decoupled both by its non-local nature, and by dynamic decoupling due to the significantly different time scales at which the sensor and sensed object evolve. The latter makes it possible to effectively remove static interactions between the sensed object and the spin sensor while still allowing the spin sensing. In this way we achieve measurements with a reduction in perturbative effects of up to 100 times relative to direct scanning tunneling measurements, which enables minimally invasive measurements of a few-atom magnet's fragile spin states with STM.

4.
J Vis Exp ; (131)2018 01 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29443038

ABSTRACT

The miniaturization of semiconductor devices to scales where small numbers of dopants can control device properties requires the development of new techniques capable of characterizing their dynamics. Investigating single dopants requires sub-nanometer spatial resolution, which motivates the use of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). However, conventional STM is limited to millisecond temporal resolution. Several methods have been developed to overcome this shortcoming, including all-electronic time-resolved STM, which is used in this study to examine dopant dynamics in silicon with nanosecond resolution. The methods presented here are widely accessible and allow for local measurement of a wide variety of dynamics at the atomic scale. A novel time-resolved scanning tunneling spectroscopy technique is presented and used to efficiently search for dynamics.


Subject(s)
Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling/methods , Silicon/chemistry
5.
Phys Rev Lett ; 119(21): 217201, 2017 Nov 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29219401

ABSTRACT

We present the appearance of negative differential resistance (NDR) in spin-dependent electron transport through a few-atom spin chain. A chain of three antiferromagnetically coupled Fe atoms (Fe trimer) was positioned on a Cu_{2}N/Cu(100) surface and contacted with the spin-polarized tip of a scanning tunneling microscope, thus coupling the Fe trimer to one nonmagnetic and one magnetic lead. Pronounced NDR appears at the low bias of 7 mV, where inelastic electron tunneling dynamically locks the atomic spin in a long-lived excited state. This causes a rapid increase of the magnetoresistance between the spin-polarized tip and Fe trimer and quenches elastic tunneling. By varying the coupling strength between the tip and Fe trimer, we find that in this transport regime the dynamic locking of the Fe trimer competes with magnetic exchange interaction, which statically forces the Fe trimer into its high-magnetoresistance state and removes the NDR.

6.
Nano Lett ; 17(10): 6203-6209, 2017 10 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28872317

ABSTRACT

The creation of molecule-like structures in which magnetic atoms interact controllably is full of potential for the study of complex or strongly correlated systems. Here, we create spin chains in which a strongly correlated Kondo state emerges from magnetic coupling of transition-metal atoms. We build chains up to ten atoms in length by placing Fe and Mn atoms on a Cu2N surface with a scanning tunneling microscope. The atoms couple antiferromagnetically via superexchange interaction through the nitrogen atom network of the surface. The emergent Kondo resonance is spatially distributed along the chain. Its strength can be controlled by mixing atoms of different transition metal elements and manipulating their spatial distribution. We show that the Kondo screening of the full chain by the electrons of the nonmagnetic substrate depends on the interatomic entanglement of the spins in the chain, demonstrating the prerequisites to build and probe spatially extended strongly correlated nanostructures.

7.
Sci Adv ; 3(5): e1603137, 2017 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28560346

ABSTRACT

The ability to sense the magnetic state of individual magnetic nano-objects is a key capability for powerful applications ranging from readout of ultradense magnetic memory to the measurement of spins in complex structures with nanometer precision. Magnetic nano-objects require extremely sensitive sensors and detection methods. We create an atomic spin sensor consisting of three Fe atoms and show that it can detect nanoscale antiferromagnets through minute, surface-mediated magnetic interaction. Coupling, even to an object with no net spin and having vanishing dipolar stray field, modifies the transition matrix element between two spin states of the Fe atom-based spin sensor that changes the sensor's spin relaxation time. The sensor can detect nanoscale antiferromagnets at up to a 3-nm distance and achieves an energy resolution of 10 µeV, surpassing the thermal limit of conventional scanning probe spectroscopy. This scheme permits simultaneous sensing of multiple antiferromagnets with a single-spin sensor integrated onto the surface.

8.
Nat Commun ; 7: 13258, 2016 10 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27782125

ABSTRACT

As the ultimate miniaturization of semiconductor devices approaches, it is imperative that the effects of single dopants be clarified. Beyond providing insight into functions and limitations of conventional devices, such information enables identification of new device concepts. Investigating single dopants requires sub-nanometre spatial resolution, making scanning tunnelling microscopy an ideal tool. However, dopant dynamics involve processes occurring at nanosecond timescales, posing a significant challenge to experiment. Here we use time-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy to probe and study transport through a dangling bond on silicon before the system relaxes or adjusts to accommodate an applied electric field. Atomically resolved, electronic pump-probe scanning tunnelling microscopy permits unprecedented, quantitative measurement of time-resolved single dopant ionization dynamics. Tunnelling through the surface dangling bond makes measurement of a signal that would otherwise be too weak to detect feasible. Distinct ionization and neutralization rates of a single dopant are measured and the physical process controlling those are identified.

9.
Nat Commun ; 6: 8216, 2015 Sep 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26359203

ABSTRACT

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) present a promising avenue to develop spintronic technologies. Addressing individual molecules with electrical leads in SMM-based spintronic devices remains a ubiquitous challenge: interactions with metallic electrodes can drastically modify the SMM's properties by charge transfer or through changes in the molecular structure. Here, we probe electrical transport through individual Fe4 SMMs using a scanning tunnelling microscope at 0.5 K. Correlation of topographic and spectroscopic information permits identification of the spin excitation fingerprint of intact Fe4 molecules. Building from this, we find that the exchange coupling strength within the molecule's magnetic core is significantly enhanced. First-principles calculations support the conclusion that this is the result of confinement of the molecule in the two-contact junction formed by the microscope tip and the sample surface.

10.
Nano Lett ; 15(3): 1938-42, 2015 Mar 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25664924

ABSTRACT

Magnetic anisotropy plays a key role in the magnetic stability and spin-related quantum phenomena of surface adatoms. It manifests as angular variations of the atom's magnetic properties. We measure the spin excitations of individual Fe atoms on a copper nitride surface with inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy. Using a three-axis vector magnet we rotate the magnetic field and map out the resulting variations of the spin excitations. We quantitatively determine the three-dimensional distribution of the magnetic anisotropy of single Fe atoms by fitting the spin excitation spectra with a spin Hamiltonian. This experiment demonstrates the feasibility of fully mapping the vector magnetic properties of individual spins and characterizing complex three-dimensional magnetic systems.


Subject(s)
Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods , Magnetic Fields , Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning/methods , Radiometry/methods , Spectrum Analysis/methods , Anisotropy , Materials Testing/methods , Metal Nanoparticles/ultrastructure , Spin Labels
11.
Nat Nanotechnol ; 10(1): 40-5, 2015 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25502311

ABSTRACT

Mixing of discretized states in quantum magnets has a radical impact on their properties. Managing this effect is key for spintronics in the quantum limit. Magnetic fields can modify state mixing and, for example, mitigate destabilizing effects in single-molecule magnets. The exchange bias field has been proposed as a mechanism for localized control of individual nanomagnets. Here, we demonstrate that exchange coupling with the magnetic tip of a scanning tunnelling microscope provides continuous tuning of spin state mixing in an individual nanomagnet. By directly measuring spin relaxation time with electronic pump-probe spectroscopy, we find that the exchange interaction acts analogously to a local magnetic field that can be applied to a specific atom. It can be tuned in strength by up to several tesla and cancel external magnetic fields, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of complete control over individual quantum magnets with atomically localized exchange coupling.

12.
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