Sensors: High Bandwidth and Minimally Invasive Micro-Cantilever Sensing Based on Transient Dynamics and Thermal Noise Effects

在过去十年中发展起来的最有前途的技术之一是基于微悬臂的原子精度。事实上，这些设备是第一批证明纳米技术可行性的设备。基于微悬臂的设备在纳米尺度上彻底改变了对物质的询问控制和操纵。然而，这类设备的巨大潜力远未得到利用。在本提案中，我们将开发一种创新的方案，其中微悬臂瞬态有效地用于样品调查获得微秒时间尺度。这种被称为瞬态信号成像的新方法将比现有动态模式的所有理想特征快几个数量级。这将提供第一个微悬臂方法，在微秒时间分辨率的纳米尺度上研究动力学。在许多基于微悬臂梁的传感应用中，如单电子自旋检测，其目的是检测室温下的单电子自旋，传感不干扰被观察到的现象是至关重要的。这类研究的另一个关键特征是，这些力往往是局部的，可以在相对较大的时间尺度上演变。该方案的一个创新之处是基于热噪声的方案，在相对较大的时间尺度上实现了一种微创的审讯方式。高灵敏度将通过保持埃尺度的尖端-样品距离和通过控制悬臂尖端处于尖端-样品相互作用势的较温和的吸引状态来实现。这是通过从微悬臂的热噪声估计其等效频率来实现的。为了帮助在研究中发展的创新方法，我们提出了一个综合的实验装置，可以用来获得微悬臂梁的多模态模型。这种仪器对瞬态信号成像的发展至关重要，并将用于验证和建议未来的策略。这项提议的广泛影响是重大的。微悬臂在不同领域的应用影响越来越大，对科学产生了根本性的影响。这两种方法是使能技术，将提供超高带宽和分辨率，为基础科学问题的研究打开大门。提案的创新贡献将直接影响扫描探针显微镜的大多数方面，因为提议的方法适用于大多数现有的设置。拟议研究的实验方面将与领先的生物学相关扫描探针显微镜（SPM）公司Asylum research合作完成。这项合作有望促进PI学术机构和SPM行业之间在该计划中开发的理论和技术的转移。

One of the most promising technologies that has evolved in the last decade that provides atomic precision is based on the micro-cantilever. Indeed, these devices were amongst the first to demonstrate the feasibility of nanotechnology. Micro-cantilever based devices have revolutionized interrogation control and manipulation of matter at the nanoscale. However, the vast potential of such devices is far from being harnessed.In this proposal we will develop an innovative scheme where the micro-cantilever transient is effectively employed to obtain microsecond time scales for sample investigation. This new method called transient signal imaging will be several orders of magnitude faster with all the desirable features of the present dynamic mode. This will provide the first micro cantilever method of investigation of dynamics at the nanoscale with microsecond temporal resolution. In many proposed applications of the micro-cantilever based sensing, like single electron spin detection where the aim is to detect a single electron spin at room temperature, it is imperative that the sensing does not disturb the phenomenon being observed. Another key feature of such studies is that the forces are often localized and could evolve over relatively large time scales. An innovative aspect of the proposal is a thermal noise based scheme that leads to a minimally invasive way of interrogation over relatively large time scales. The high sensitivity will be achieved by maintaining Angstrom scale tip-sample distances and by controlling the cantilever tip to be in the gentler attractive regime of the tip-sample interaction potential. This is achieved by estimating the equivalent frequency of the microcantilever from its thermal noise.To aid the innovative methods to be developed in the proposed investigation we present acomprehensive experimental setup which can be utilized to obtain multi-mode models of the micro-cantilever. Such an instrument is crucial to the development of the transient signal imaging and will be used to validate and suggest future strategies.The broader impacts of this proposal are significant. Micro-cantilevers are being used in diverse areas with increasing impact and have influenced science in a fundamental manner. The two methods are enabling technologies and will open doors for investigating basic science issues by providing ultra-high bandwidth and resolution. The innovative contributions of the proposals will directly impact most aspects of scanning probe microscopy, as the proposed methods apply to most of the existing setups. The experimental aspects of the proposed research will be accomplished in collaboration with Asylum Research a leading biology related scanning probe microscope (SPM) company. This collaboration is expected to foster transfer of the theory and technology developed in this program between the academic institution of the PI and the SPM industry.