GOALI: Exploiting Dark Spins for Color-Center-Based Nanoscale Sensing and Imaging

在化学系化学测量和成像计划的支持下，以及物理系(原子、分子和光学物理-实验)和材料研究(凝聚态物理)系的部分共同资助下，纽约城市大学的梅里尔斯教授正在开发利用钻石中特定发光体的特殊物理性质的新成像技术。利用尖端仪器和最新的方法学进展，该项目的中心目标是提高观测信号的信息含量，并扩大技术在软凝聚物质和生物系统、半导体聚合物和其他与能源有关的有机或无机材料等领域的适用性。该项目为学生提供独特的跨学科科学教育，并能够与广泛的合作者网络互动，其中包括Adamas NanoTechnologies的科学家，该公司通过一系列活动为该项目做出贡献，利用他们在钻石合成、加工和表面功能化方面的广泛专业知识。这一伙伴关系不仅提供了一个广泛的传播平台，还允许PI推进正在进行的外联计划，这些计划旨在通过CUNY/CCNY的暑期和/或全年活动为贫困学生提供有意义的研究经验。以增强氮空位(NV)扫描显微镜作为一种广泛的基于磁共振的成像和表征技术为总体目标，Meriles实验室的工作重点是两项相关的研究任务：(I)调查全钻石扫描尖端中的顺磁中心集合，以更好地了解尖端的组成和动力学，以便应用于新形式的NV扫描成像，重点是Ancilla自旋辅助弛豫测量。包括使用光谱分辨自旋噪声检测方案，该方案依赖于易于使用的、人工智能(AI)辅助的谱密度重建协议。(2)研究NV与邻近的单个电子和核自旋之间的相互作用，以此作为加强基于非厄米动力学的传感的手段。这一推力包括旨在设计具有长相干寿命的“受保护的”NV自旋态的研究，以及它们在电子噪声选择性传感中的应用。整个项目旨在扩展磁共振成像(MRI)的能力，不仅是它的灵敏度和空间分辨率，而且是可以使用NV磁测量探测的材料和工艺的类型，同时保留使MRI具有多功能性的关键特征(特别是其获得光谱指纹和引入不同形式的对比度的能力)，并利用光学和原子力显微镜的空间精度和增强的灵敏度。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With support from the Chemical Measurement & Imaging program in the Division of Chemistry and partial co-funding from the Divisions of Physics (Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics - Experiment) and Materials Research (Condensed Matter Physics), Professor Meriles at The City University of New York is developing new imaging techniques that leverage the special physical properties of select light emitters in diamond. Capitalizing on cutting-edge instrumentation and recent methodological progress, the central goal of this project is to enhance the information content of observed signals and broaden the techniques’ applicability in areas such as soft condensed matter and biological systems, semiconducting polymers, and other energy-relevant organic or inorganic materials. The project offers students a unique inter-disciplinary scientific education and the ability to interact with a wide network of collaborators, including scientists at Adamas Nanotechnologies, a company contributing to the project through a range of activities that leverage their extensive expertise in diamond synthesis, processing, and surface functionalization. The partnership not only provides a broad dissemination platform but also allows the PI to advance ongoing outreach programs designed to provide meaningful research experiences to underprivileged students through summer and/or year-round activities at CUNY/CCNY.With the overarching goal of enhancing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) scanning microscopy as a broad magnetic-resonance-based imaging and characterization technique, work in the Meriles lab focuses on two related research thrusts: (i) Investigation of the ensemble of paramagnetic centers in all-diamond scanning tips to gain improved understanding of tip composition and dynamics, for applications to new forms of NV scanning imaging, with emphasis on ancilla-spin-aided relaxometry. Included is the use of spectrally-resolved spin-noise detection schemes relying on easy-to-use, AI (artificial intelligence)-assisted protocols for spectral density reconstruction. (ii) Study of interactions between the NV and individual electron and nuclear spins in proximity, as a means to enhanced sensing based on non-Hermitian dynamics. This thrust includes studies aimed at engineering “protected” NV spin states featuring long coherence lifetimes, and their application to electric-noise-selective sensing. The overall project aims to extend the capabilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), not only its sensitivity and spatial resolution, but also the types of materials and processes that can be probed using NV magnetometry while retaining key traits that make MRI versatile (particularly its ability to obtain spectroscopic fingerprints and introduce different forms of contrast), and capitalizing on the spatial precision and enhanced sensitivity of optical and atomic force microscopy.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.