Magnetic resonance method and apparatus for detecting an atomic structure of a sample along a surface thereof

摘要

A method and an apparatus are disclosed for detecting an atomic structure of a sample (16) along a surface thereof. The method comprises arranging the sample (16) in a constant magnetic field (B0) of predetermined field strength and high homogeneity and irradiating a high-frequency magnetic field (B1) of a predetermined frequency on the sample (16), wherein the fields (B0) and (B1) are oriented perpendicularly to each other. The method further comprises providing a force-sensitive sensor (24) having a paramagnetic tip (26) comprising a paramagnetic material. The sensor (24) is placed in close vicinity to the sample (16) such that the paramagnetic tip (26) is in atomic interaction with the sample surface which means that the distance between the tip (26) and the surface is in the order of between 1 and 10 ANGSTROM . The predetermined field strength and the predetermined frequency are set such that electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is excited within the tip paramagnetic material. The paramagnetic tip (26) is then displaced parallel to the sample surface for mapping predetermined points (x, y) on the sample surface. During displacing the tip (26) the force exerted on the tip (26) by a local inhomogeneous magnetic field (Bloc) caused by atomic magnetic moments (me,k) of the sample (16) is measured.