Collaborative Research: Development of a High Resolution Vector Scanning SQUID Microscope for Paleomagnetism

0549600威斯这项合作赠款(连同EAR-0549521；PI Baudenbacher)支持开发矢量扫描超导量子干涉器件(SQUID)显微镜。VSSM将以更高的空间分辨率测量磁场的所有三个分量，并且比现在使用之前开发的单分量超高分辨率扫描鱿鱼显微镜(UHRSSM)实现的更大的易用性，该显微镜安装在Joe Kirschvink的古地磁实验室加州理工学院。UHRSSM主要是由Franz Baudenbacher在以前的EAR/IF支持(EAR-0004101)下开发的。UHRSSM已被证明可以测量室温样品表面以上磁场的垂直分量，其力矩灵敏度优于10-15am2(比商用超导岩石磁强计高三个数量级)，空间分辨率低于毫米。VSSM将支持对剩磁太弱而无法通过标准岩石磁强计技术进行测量的样品的研究，或对剩磁成分的高(亚毫米至微米)空间分辨率可能对获取磁场时的古环境条件或样品大小极其有限的样品产生新的见解的研究。例子包括对行星物质的古地磁调查和对陆地上的哈迪亚锆石的研究，这些研究可能有助于揭示磁场演化的时间，超高分辨率磁地层学，以及从细粒物质中阐明单个磁性矿物载体。这项开发涉及一名地球科学家/行星科学家(Weiss)和一名物理学家(Baudenbacher)以及私营部门合作伙伴之间的合作，这些合作伙伴将制造将用于新的VSSM的微小(120亩平方米)鱿鱼传感器。新的VSSM技术将被移植到西海岸(加州理工学院)和东海岸(麻省理工学院)地学部门现有的UHRSSM仪器上，而PIS打算向外部用户提供这些仪器。***

0549600WeissThis collaborative grant (together with EAR-0549521; PI Baudenbacher) supports development of a Vector Scanning Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) Microscope (VSSM). The VSSM will measure all three components of the magnetic field with higher spatial resolution and far greater ease of use than now achieved using a previously developed single component Ultra High Resolution Scanning SQUID Microscope (UHRSSM) that is housed in Joe Kirschvink's paleomagnetism laboratory Caltech. The UHRSSM was developed primarily by Franz Baudenbacher under previous EAR/IF support (EAR-0004101). The UHRSSM has been shown to measure the vertical component of the magnetic field above the surface of a room-temperature sample with a moment sensitivity of better than 10-15 Am2 (three orders of magnitude more sensitive than commercially available superconducting rock magnetometers) with sub millimeter spatial resolution. The VSSM would support research on samples where the magnetic remanence is too weak to be measured via standard rock magnetometer techniques or for studies in which high (sub-mm to micron) spatial resolution of the magnetic remanence components may yield new insights into the paleoenvironmental conditions at the time the field was acquired or for which sample size is extremely limited. Examples include paleomagnetic investigations of planetary materials and studies of terrestrial Hadean zircons that may shed light on the timing of magnetic field evolution, ultra-high resolution magnetostratigraphy, and elucidation of individual magnetic mineral carriers from fine grained materials. The development involves collaboration between a geoscientist/planetary scientist (Weiss) and a physicist (Baudenbacher) and private sector partners who will fabricate the tiny (120 mu m square) SQUID sensors that will be employed on the new VSSM. The new VSSM technology will be ported to existing UHRSSM instruments in geoscience departments on the west (Caltech) and east (MIT) coasts and the PIs intend to make the instruments available to outside users. ***