METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING A PROPERTY OF A SAMPLE

• US 20120019242A1
• Filed: 11/04/2009
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Melbourne
• Original Assignee: University of Melbourne
• Inventors: Hollenberg, Lloyd, Cole, Jared
• Granted Patent: US 8,766,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/300
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 35/00 Methods or apparatus for measurement or analysis of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 24/10 by using electron paramagnetic resonance G01N24/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 60/00 Particular types of SPM [Scanning Probe Microscopy] or microscopes; Essential components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 60/42 Functionalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 70/14 Particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/326 involving a SQUID

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of monitoring a property of a sample, such as a nanoscopic property of the sample. The method comprises the steps of providing a quantum probe having a quantum state and exposing the quantum probe to the sample in a manner such that the property of the sample, in the proximity of the quantum probe, affects quantum coherence of the quantum probe. The method also comprises detecting a rate of quantum decoherence of the quantum probe to monitor the property of the sample. Further the present disclosure provides an apparatus for monitoring a property of a sample.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a property of a sample, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a quantum probe having a quantum state;

exposing the quantum probe to the sample in a manner such that the property of the sample, in the proximity of the quantum probe, affects quantum coherence of the quantum probe; and

detecting a rate of quantum decoherence of the quantum probe to monitor the property of the sample.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the property is a nanoscopic property.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the nanoscopic property relates to a fundamental spin or charge, or collections thereof.

4. The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the quantum probe comprises a two-state (qubit) or multi-state quantum probe.

5. The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the quantum probe comprises a diamond material having at least one nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre.

6. The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the step of providing the quantum probe comprises transforming the quantum probe into a predefined quantum state.

7. The method of any one of the preceding claims comprising the step of controlling the quantum state of the quantum probe by applying suitable radiation.

8. The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the step of providing the quantum probe comprises transforming the quantum probe into a superposition or entangled state.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein transforming the quantum probe comprises the application of suitable radiation.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the quantum probe comprises a NV centre and wherein the step of transforming the quantum probe comprises exposing the NV-centre to suitable microwave radiation to generate a suitable quantum state of the Zeeman energy levels.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising optically pumping the NV-centre.

12. The method of claim 10 or 11 wherein the step of detection a decoherence rate comprises detecting fluorescence photons emitted from the NV-centre.

13. The method of any one of the preceding claims comprising the step of moving the quantum probe and the sample relative to each other and performing the method so that the decoherence rate is detectable at a plurality of sample locations.

14. The method of any one of the preceding claims comprising the step of generating a map of a portion of the sample and showing a distribution of decoherence properties.

15. The method of any one of the preceding claims comprising detecting fluctuations or particles in the surface or bulk of a biological sample.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising exposing the sample, or the sample and the quantum probe, to a liquid.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the biological sample includes ion channels and wherein the method comprises detecting an increase in quantum decoherence rate caused by an influence of a spin of ion on the quantum probe and thereby monitoring the function of the ion channel.

18. The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the quantum probe comprises a quantum system consisting of a single particle.

19. The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the quantum probe comprises a quantum system including a plurality of particles.

20. The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the quantum probe is one of a plurality of quantum probes and the step of providing the quantum probe comprises providing a plurality of quantum probes.

21. The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the step of detecting a rate of quantum decoherence comprises detecting photons emitted from the plurality of quantum probes.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the property is a microscopic or macroscopic property.

23. An apparatus for monitoring a property of a sample, the apparatus comprising:

a quantum probe that has quantum state;

a holder for holding the quantum probe in the proximity of a sample so that the quantum coherence of the quantum probe is influenced by the property of the sample; and

a detector for detecting a quantity indicative of a quantum decoherence rate and thereby monitoring the property of the sample.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the property of the sample is a nanoscopic property of the sample.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 or 24 wherein the quantum probe comprises one quantum system.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 or 24 wherein the quantum probe comprises a plurality of quantum systems.

27. The apparatus of any one of claims 23 to 26 wherein the quantum probe is one of a plurality of quantum probes.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the detector comprises a plurality of detector elements.

29. The apparatus of any one of claims 23 to 28 wherein the quantum probe is movable relative to the sample.

30. The apparatus of any one of claims 23 to 28 wherein the quantum probe is incorporated in the sample.

31. The apparatus of any one of claims 23 to 30 wherein the holder comprises a scanning arrangement that is suitable for scanning the quantum probe and the sample relative to each other.

32. The apparatus of any one of claims 23 to 32 wherein the quantum probe comprises a diamond material having one or a plurality of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 comprising an optical light source for optically pumping the at least one NV-centre.

34. The apparatus of any one of claims 23 to 33 comprising a source for transforming the quantum probe into the quantum state.

35. The apparatus of any one of claims 23 to 34 comprising a source for controlling the quantum state of the quantum probe.

36. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the property of the sample is a microscopic or macroscopic property.