Single spin magnetometry and relaxometry applied to antiferromagnetic materials

Abstract

Despite the considerable interest for antiferromagnets that appeared with the perspective of using them for spintronics, their experimental study, including the imaging of antiferromagnetic textures, remains a challenge. To address this issue, quantum sensors, and, in particular, the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defects in diamond have become a widespread technical solution. We review here the recent applications of single NV centers to study a large variety of antiferromagnetic materials, from quantitative imaging of antiferromagnetic domains and non-collinear states, to the detection of spin waves confined in antiferromagnetic textures and the non-perturbative measurement of spin transport properties. We conclude with recent developments improving further the magnetic sensitivity of scanning NV microscopy, opening the way to detailed investigations of the internal texture of antiferromagnetic objects.