Single spin magnetometry and relaxometry applied to antiferromagnetic materials

TL;DR

This paper reviews how single NV center quantum sensors are used to image and analyze antiferromagnetic materials, revealing their internal textures and spin dynamics with high sensitivity.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in applying NV center magnetometry to study antiferromagnetic textures and spin phenomena.

Findings

Successful imaging of antiferromagnetic domains

Detection of spin waves in antiferromagnetic textures

Enhanced sensitivity of NV-based scanning magnetometry

Abstract

Despite the considerable interest for antiferromagnets which appeared with the perspective of using them for spintronics, their experimental study, including the imaging of antiferromagnetic textures, remains a challenge. To address this issue, quantum sensors, and in particular the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defects in diamond have become a widespread technical solution. We review here the recent applications of single NV centers to study a large variety of antiferromagnetic materials, from quantitative imaging of antiferromagnetic domains and non-collinear states, to the detection of spin waves confined in antiferromagnetic textures and the non-perturbative measurement of spin transport properties. We conclude with recent developments improving further the magnetic sensitivity of scanning NV microscopy, opening the way to detailed investigations of the internal texture of antiferromagnetic objects.