Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy in a Transmission Electron Microscope

TL;DR

This paper reports the integration of electron spin resonance spectroscopy into a transmission electron microscope, enabling in-situ quantum spin studies with high spatial resolution and minimal radiation damage.

Contribution

It introduces a miniaturized ESR setup within a TEM, leveraging the TEM's magnetic field for spin state manipulation, advancing nanoscale quantum spin research.

Findings

Successful integration of ESR in TEM

Enables in-situ studies of spin systems and dynamics

Facilitates quantum material and radiation damage analysis

Abstract

Coherent spin resonance methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy have led to spectrally highly sensitive, non-invasive quantum imaging techniques with groundbreaking applications in fields such as medicine, biology, and physics. Meanwhile, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) offers detailed investigations with sub-atomic resolution, but often inflicts significant radiation damage. Here we exploit synergies and report on an integration of ESR spectroscopy in a TEM. Our miniaturized ESR setup on a standard TEM sample holder leverages the strong magnetic field of the TEM polepiece to align and energetically separate spin states. This integration will facilitate in-situ studies of spin systems and their dynamics, quantum materials, radicals, electrochemical reactions, and radiation damage - properties previously mainly invisible to electron microscopic tools. Moreover, this development marks a significant technological advancement toward microwave-controlled quantum spin studies with a highly controlled electron probe at the nanoscale.