Spin-mediated dissipation and frequency shifts of a cantilever at milliKelvin temperatures

TL;DR

This study investigates how unpaired electron spins in silicon oxide layers cause dissipation and frequency shifts in a magnetically coupled cantilever at millikelvin temperatures, revealing spin relaxation dynamics and their impact on non-contact friction.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurement and analysis of spin-induced dissipation and frequency shifts in a cantilever at millikelvin temperatures, including extraction of spin relaxation times and densities.

Findings

Spin relaxation time T1 ≈ 0.39 ms

Spin density σ ≈ 0.14 spins/nm²

Magnetic dissipation significantly contributes to non-contact friction at ≤500 mK

Abstract

We measure the dissipation and frequency shift of a magnetically coupled cantilever in the vicinity of a silicon chip, down to $25$ mK. The dissipation and frequency shift originates from the interaction with the unpaired electrons, associated with the dangling bonds in the native oxide layer of the silicon, which form a two dimensional system of electron spins. We approach the sample with a $3.43$ $\mu$m-diameter magnetic particle attached to an ultrasoft cantilever, and measure the frequency shift and quality factor as a function of temperature and the distance. Using a recent theoretical analysis [J. M. de Voogd et al., arXiv:1508.07972 (2015)] of the dynamics of a system consisting of a spin and a magnetic resonator, we are able to fit the data and extract the relaxation time $T_1=0.39\pm0.08$ ms and spin density $\sigma=0.14\pm0.01$ spins per nm$^2$. Our analysis shows that at temperatures $\leq500$ mK magnetic dissipation is an important source of non-contact friction.