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A. Nikitin

Publications and source records attributed to A. Nikitin.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2023

Fiber-coupled Diamond Magnetometry with an Unshielded 30 pT/$\sqrt{\textrm{Hz}}$ Sensitivity

Ensembles of nitrogen vacancy centres (NVCs) in diamond can be employed for sensitive magnetometry. In this work we present a fiber-coupled NVC magnetometer with an unshielded sensitivity of (30 $\pm$ 10) pT/$\sqrt{\textrm{Hz}}$ in a (10 - 500)-Hz frequency range. This sensitivity is enabled by a relatively high green-to-red photon conversion efficiency, the use of a [100] bias field alignment, microwave and lock-in amplifier (LIA) parameter optimisation, as well as a balanced hyperfine excitation scheme. Furthermore, a silicon carbide (SiC) heat spreader is used for microwave delivery, alongside low-strain $^{12}\textrm{C}$ diamonds, one of which is placed in a second magnetically insensitive fluorescence collecting sensor head for common-mode noise cancellation. The magnetometer is capable of detecting signals from sources such as a vacuum pump up to 2 m away, with some orientation dependence but no complete dead zones, demonstrating its potential for use in remote sensing applications.

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2020

Imaging damage in steel using a diamond magnetometer

We demonstrate a simple, robust and contactless method for non-destructive testing of magnetic materials such as steel. This uses a fiber-coupled magnetic sensor based on nitrogen vacancy centers (NVC) in diamond without magnetic shielding. Previous NVC magnetometry has sought a homogeneous bias magnetic field, but in our design we deliberately applied an inhomogeneous magnetic field. As a consequence of our experimental set-up we achieve a high spatial resolution: 1~mm in the plane parallel and 0.1~mm in the plane perpendicular to the surface of the steel. Structural damage in the steel distorts this inhomogeneous magnetic field and by detecting this distortion we reconstruct the damage profile through quantifying the shifts in the NVC Zeeman splitting. This works even when the steel is covered by a non-magnetic material. The lift-off distance of our sensor head from the surface of 316 stainless steel is up to 3~mm.

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2020

Sub-nanotesla magnetometry with a fibre-coupled diamond sensor

Sensing small magnetic fields is relevant for many applications ranging from geology to medical diagnosis. We present a fiber-coupled diamond magnetometer with a sensitivity of (310 $\pm$ 20) pT$/\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$ in the frequency range of 10-150 Hz. This is based on optically detected magnetic resonance of an ensemble of nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond at room temperature. Fiber coupling means the sensor can be conveniently brought within 2 mm of the object under study.

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2019

Linear Scaling of the Superfluid Density with the Critical Temperature in the Layered Superconductor 2H-NbSe_2

We report on high-pressure (p_max = 2.1 GPa) muon spin rotation experiments probing the temperature-dependent magnetic penetration depth in the layered superconductor 2H-NbSe_2. Upon increasing the pressure, we observe a substantial increase of the superfluid density n_s, which we find to scale linearly with T_c. This linear scaling is considered a hallmark feature of unconventional superconductivity, especially in high-temperature cuprate superconductors. Our current results, along with our earlier findings on 1T'-MoTe_2 (Z. Guguchia et. al., Nature Communications 8, 1082 (2017)), demonstrate that this linear relation is also an intrinsic property of the superconductivity in transition metal dichalcogenides, whereas the ratio T_c/T_F is approximately a factor of 20 lower than the ratio observed in hole-doped cuprates. We, furthermore, find that the values of the superconducting gaps are insensitive to the suppression of the quasi-two-dimensional CDW state, indicating that the CDW ordering and the superconductivity in 2H-NbSe_2 are independent of each other.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2018

Controlling surface charge and spin density oscillations by Dirac plasmon interaction in thin topological insulators

We study the selective excitation at infrared and THz frequencies of optical and acoustic plasmonic modes supported by thin topological insulators. These modes are characterized by effective net charge or net spin density, respectively, and we study their excitation by combining many-body and electromagnetic calculations. We first show that non-locality can significantly modify the plasmonic response: it changes the energy of propagating plasmons up to tens of percent. We then discuss how, by changing the distance between a dipolar source and a semi-infinite 10 nm thin film, it is possible to control the excitation of acoustic and optical propagating plasmons, which can propagate over a distance of several plasmonic wavelengths. Furthermore, we consider 10 nm thin TI nanodisks and study the excitation of acoustic and optical localized plasmon modes by a point dipole source and plane wave illumination, respectively. The resonant plasmonic modes appear at frequencies that strongly depends on the size of the disk, and that can be potentially tuned by applying electrostatic gating to modify the Fermi Energy of the conductive 2-dimensional layer that forms at the interfaces of the TI. We observe a spectral shift from ~29 $μ$m to ~34 $μ$m by changing the Fermi Energy from 250meV to 350meV. Last, the electromagnetic energy of these plasmonics modes can be confined to very small regions, of effective volume ~(120 nm)^3 for the smaller disk considered, much less than the free-space wavelength cubed $λ$^3 ~(35000 nm)^3. The strong confinement is desirable for achieving very efficient coupling with nearby systems. Our detailed study thus shows that thin topological insulators are a promising system to control both the spin and charge oscillations associated with the plasmonic resonances, with possible applications to fast, compact and electrically-controlled spintronics devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2018

THz nanofocusing with cantilevered THz-resonant antenna tips

We developed THz-resonant scanning probe tips, yielding strongly enhanced and nanoscale confined THz near fields at their tip apex. The tips with length in the order of the THz wavelength (λ = 96.5 μm) were fabricated by focused ion beam (FIB) machining and attached to standard atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers. Measurements of the near-field intensity at the very tip apex (25 nm radius) as a function of tip length, via graphene-based (thermoelectric) near-field detection, indicate their first and second order geometrical antenna resonances for tip length of 33 and 78 μm, respectively. On resonance, we find that the near-field intensity is enhanced by one order of magnitude compared to tips of 17 μm length (standard AFM tip length), which is corroborated by numerical simulations that further predict remarkable intensity enhancements of about 107 relative to the incident field. Because of the strong field enhancement and standard AFM operation of our tips, we envision manifold and straightforward future application in scattering-type THz near-field nanoscopy and THz photocurrent nanoimaging, nanoscale nonlinear THz imaging, or nanoscale control and manipulation of matter employing ultrastrong and ultrashort THz pulses.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2018

Acoustic Graphene Plasmon Nanoresonators for Field Enhanced Infrared Molecular Spectroscopy

Field-enhanced infrared molecular spectroscopy has been widely applied in chemical analysis, environment monitoring, and food and drug safety. The sensitivity of molecular spectroscopy critically depends on the electromagnetic field confinement and enhancement in the sensing elements. Here we propose a concept for sensing, consisting of a graphene plasmonic nanoresonator separated from a metallic film by a nanometric spacer. Such a resonator can support acoustic graphene plasmons, AGPs; that provide ultra-confined electromagnetic fields and strong field enhancement. Compared to conventional plasmons in graphene, AGPs exhibit a much higher spontaneous emission rate, higher sensitivity to the dielectric permittivity inside the AGP nano resonator, and remarkable capability to enhance molecular vibrational fingerprints, of nanoscale analyte samples. Our work opens novel avenues for sensing of ultra-small volume of molecules, as well as for studying enhanced light-matter interaction, e.g. strong coupling applications.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2001

Collective dynamics of two-mode stochastic oscillators

We study a system of two-mode stochastic oscillators coupled through their collective output. As a function of a relevant parameter four qualitatively distinct regimes of collective behavior are observed. In an extended region of the parameter space the periodicity of the collective output is enhanced by the considered coupling. This system can be used as a new model to describe synchronization-like phenomena in systems of units with two or more oscillation modes. The model can also explain how periodic dynamics can be generated by coupling largely stochastic units. Similar systems could be responsible for the emergence of rhythmic behavior in complex biological or sociological systems.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗