Nanoscale magnetism probed in a matter-wave interferometer

Abstract

We explore a wide range of fundamental magnetic phenomena by measuring the dephasing of matter-wave interference fringes upon application of a variable magnetic gradient. The versatility of our interferometric Stern-Gerlach technique enables us to study alkali atoms, organic radicals and fullerenes in the same device, with magnetic moments ranging from a Bohr magneton to less than a nuclear magneton. We find evidence for magnetization of a supersonic beam of organic radicals and, most notably, observe a strong magnetic response of a thermal C${}_{60}$ beam consistent with high-temperature atom-like deflection of rotational magnetic moments.

References in corpus (9)

• Atom Interferometers
• Colloquium: Quantum interference of clusters and molecules
• Collisional decoherence observed in matter wave interferometry
• A Kapitza-Dirac-Talbot-Lau interferometer for highly polarizable molecules
• Magnetic structure of free cobalt clusters studied with Stern-Gerlach deflection experiments
• Theory of near-field matter wave interference beyond the eikonal approximation
• Matter-Wave Decoherence due to a Gas Environment in an Atom Interferometer
• Optical pumping of a lithium atomic beam for atom interferometry
• Test of the isotopic and velocity selectivity of a lithium atom interferometer by magnetic dephasing

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Stern-Gerlach deflection of cryogenically cold polyatomic molecules in superfluid nanodroplets
• Impact of molecular properties on diffraction at nanomasks with low charge density
• Diffracting molecular matter-waves at deep-ultraviolet standing-light waves
• Emergence of Classicality in Stern-Gerlach Experiment via Self-Gravity