Large-Enhancement Nanoscale Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Near a Silicon Nanowire Surface

Abstract

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has revolutionized the field of NMR spectroscopy, expanding its reach and capabilities to investigate diverse materials, biomolecules, and complex dynamic processes. Bringing high-efficiency DNP to the nanometer scale would open new avenues for studying nanoscale nuclear spin ensembles, such as single biomolecules, virus particles, and condensed matter systems. Combining pulsed DNP with nanoscale force-detected magnetic resonance measurements, we demonstrated a 100-fold enhancement in the Boltzmann polarization of proton spins in nanoscale sugar droplets at 6 K and 0.33 T. Crucially, this enhancement corresponds to a factor of 200 reduction in the averaging time compared to measurements that rely on the detection of statistical fluctuations in nanoscale nuclear spin ensembles. These results significantly advance the capabilities of force-detected magnetic resonance detection as a practical tool for nanoscale imaging.