QII-TAQS: Spatially and Temporally Resolved Ultrasensitive Magnetic Sensing of Quantum Materials

本研究项目旨在开发一种量子机械磁相机（QMMC），用于对量子材料表面产生的超弱磁场进行时空成像。这样的相机将获得有关复杂空间相关性的详细信息，提供有关量子态本质的新信息。本课题旨在提高磁隧道结传感器和集成传感器阵列的磁灵敏度。量子材料科学，磁传感和半导体集成电路的研究团队具有合成量子材料，制造器件，用先进的共振技术表征它们的能力，并对量子机制和现象进行理论理解。该相机旨在成为一种磁性“视觉”工具，不仅适用于奇异的量子材料，也适用于任何二维活动物体发射空间和/或时间磁场剖面。预期的结果有望在扩大高端应用范围方面具有变革性，目前由于现场信号小而无法实现。这一发现将推动电子物质和量子信息科学这两个强相关领域的发展。这些研究活动还将使学生企业家能够创建初创公司，将QMMC原型转化为高性能的QMMC产品。此外，研究团队正在合作开发一门新的量子信息科学课程，并为新英格兰及其他地区的研究生和研究人员组织一次夏季研讨会。该项目汇集了一个多学科的研究团队，他们在量子传感、纳米级制造、量子材料的合成和表征以及理论建模方面具有专业知识，以开发量子机械磁相机（QMMC），以前所未有的灵敏度提供超弱磁场的空间和时间成像，并在完全优化的实施中，在宏观大范围内实现亚微米空间分辨率。该传感器基于磁隧道结（MTJ）技术。利用QMMC，研究小组获得了拓扑量子态复杂的空间相关性和局部极化的详细信息。这些独特的测量为相互作用电子物质的量子相关性的理论预测提供了有价值的测试，并验证了这些材料在构建具有足够长相干时间的高性能量子比特方面的潜力。项目成功的关键是显著提高了MTJ传感器的磁灵敏度，并将传感器阵列与专用读出电路集成在一起。研究团队将探索新的量子隧穿势垒材料，以降低MTJ的固有噪声，并设计新的多层结构来增强相干磁隧穿。MTJ传感器将与CMOS读出电路集成，以便可以测量和处理空间和时间磁场。量子磁传感器不仅可以研究量子材料中的突现量子现象，而且可以将量子磁传感器扩展到现代计量领域。该团队还开发了一种独特的探针，用于研究与量子现象相关的尺度上的空间和时间相关性。QMMC技术是最先进技术的重大飞跃，代表了阵列量子传感器件制造工程的范式转变。该研究将扩展量子磁传感器件的工程知识，并将现代MTJ金属基电池与更传统的CMOS技术集成在一起。研究团队将培育学生企业家，以开发和制造高性能的QMMC产品。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This research project aims to develop a quantum mechanical magnetic camera (QMMC) for spatial and temporal imaging of ultra-weak magnetic fields that arise on the surfaces of quantum materials. Such a camera will obtain detailed information about intricate spatial correlations, providing novel information about the nature of quantum states. The research aims to improve the magnetic sensitivity of magnetic tunneling junction sensors and integrated sensor arrays. The team of researchers in quantum materials science, magnetic sensing, and semiconductor integrated circuits has the capability of synthesizing quantum materials, fabricating devices, characterizing them with advanced resonance techniques, and developing theoretical understanding of quantum mechanisms and phenomena. The camera is intended to become a magnetic "visual" tool, not only for exotic quantum materials, but also for any two-dimensional active object emitting a spatial and/or temporal magnetic field profile. The expected outcome is expected to be transformative in terms of a broadened scope of high-end applications currently not available due to small field signals. The findings will advance the fields of both strongly correlated-electron matter and quantum information science. The research activities will also enable student entrepreneurs to create start-up companies that convert the QMMC prototypes into high performance QMMC products. In addition, the research team is collaboratively developing a new quantum information science course and organizing a summer workshop for graduate students and researchers in New England and beyond. This project brings together a multidisciplinary team of researchers with expertise in quantum sensing, nanoscale fabrication, synthesis and characterization of quantum materials, as well as theoretical modeling, to develop a quantum mechanical magnetic camera (QMMC), providing spatial and temporal imaging of ultra-weak magnetic fields with unprecedented sensitivity and - in fully optimized implementation - submicron spatial resolution over macroscopically large areas. The sensor is based on magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) technology. With QMMC, the research team obtains detailed information about the intricate spatial correlations and local polarization of the topological quantum states. These unique measurements provide valuable tests of theoretical predictions of quantum correlations in interacting electron matter and verify the potential of these materials for construction of high-performance qubits with sufficiently long coherence times. The key to the success of the project is to significantly improve the magnetic sensitivity of the MTJ sensors and integrate sensor arrays with dedicated readout circuitry. The research team will explore new quantum tunneling barrier materials that reduce the intrinsic noise of the MTJ and design new multilayer structure to enhance coherent magnetic tunneling. The MTJ sensors will be integrated with CMOS read-out circuits so that both spatial and temporal magnetic fields can be measured and processed. The QMMC not only allows emergent quantum phenomena to be studied in quantum materials, but also expands the applications of quantum magnetic sensors to modern metrology. The team is also developing a unique probe for the study of spatial and temporal correlations on the scales relevant for quantum phenomena. QMMC technology is a significant leap from state-of-the-art technology, representing a paradigm shift in the manufacturing engineering of arrayed quantum sensing devices. The research will expand engineering knowledge in quantum magnetic sensing devices and integration of modern MTJ metal-based cells with more conventional CMOS technology. The research team will nurture student entrepreneurs to develop and manufacture high performance QMMC products.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.