Probe with nitrogen vacancy in diamond particle for magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the key technology to investigate anatomy and physiology by a non-destructive imaging method. The analysis of molecular structures in nano-scale plays an important role for future nanotechnology. Since the spatial resolution of conventional MRI systems is limited to tens of micrometers, the high sensitive magnetic sensor is required for imaging in nanometer spatial resolution. The luminescence of nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond is sensitive to magnetic field, which is applicable to MRI at room temperature through optical detection. Si scanning probes with a diamond particle having the NV centers are developed. Firstly, the diamond particles with the NV centers is deposited on a dummy wafer by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) with additional N₂ gas. While a graphite component in the diamond particle is observed by Raman spectroscopy, and the luminescence of the NV centers had been slightly detected. After XeF₂ etching and annealing, diamond particles which own NV centers are picked up and fixed onto the fabricated probe pillar using a glass needle and glue. (author)