MRFM

(Magnetic Resonance force

microscopy)
Done By,
V.Muthu Esakki
II-MCA
 What is MRFM?
 Magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) is an
imaging technique that acquires magnetic resonance
images (MRI) at nanometer scales, and possibly at atomic
scales in the future.
Detection of the magnetic spin of a single electron has
been demonstrated using this technique.
The sensitivity of a current MRFM microscope is 10
billion times greater than a medical MRI used in
hospitals.
The MRFM concept combines the ideas of magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) and atomic force
microscopy (AFM). 
 MRI IN MRFM
Can be very high
resolution
No radiation exposure
Very flexible and
programable
Tends to be expensive,
noisy,slow.

EXAMPLE:
Tumors,cysts,Cancer.
 EXAMPLE
Anomalies of the brain and spinal
cord. tumors, cysts,Brain tumor
and other anomalies in various
parts of the body. breast cancer
screening for women who face a
high risk of breast cancer
 ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
AFM was invented in 1986 and is one of the most
popular tools for imaging

•AFM can function in 2 primary modes: Contact and

non-contact
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
 PURPOSE OF MRFM
Imaging mechanisms have many uses in our society
Common:
• X-Ray, MRI
Specialized:
• AFM, Electron Microscopy, NMR
• Better resolution can open up new possible
applications
 . Quantum computing, Molecular imaging
 ORIGINS OF MRFM
MRFM was originally proposed in the early 1990s

–“as a means of obtaining three-dimensional images of individual biological

molecules”

•This technique showed potential of imaging at a single spin level but was
limited by the apparatus

•Recent advances in ultra sensitive Cantilever-based force sensors and better

understanding of the physical processes have made Single Spin detection
possible

•Using MRFM, the authors report that they were able to observe a 25nm
spatial resolution
 USING OF MRFM
 The fundamental challenge to achieving single-spin
sensitivity is the magnitude of the force exerted by an
electrons
This force is measured in attonewton(1 aN= 10-
18Newtons)
In comparison to the AFM, force is 1 Million times
smaller
MRFM can be used to scan beneath the topographic
surface of a sample (100nm)
Successful application at this scale requires very
sensitive equipment and small tolerances
 ADVANTAGES OF MRFM
MRFM in 3 simple for very important points:

1. The magnetic imaging is non-contact and specific to electron

and nuclear spins

2. The imaging magnetic field is 3-Dimensional and reaches below

the scanned surface allowing for imaging of subsurface structures

3. The mathematics and theory behind magnetic resonance is well

understood and the algorithms involved in image
deconvolutionare well conditioned
 DISADVANTAGE IN MRFM
A disadvantage of MRFM is that it only performs well at
cryogenic temperatures and in vacuum, which is not
compatible with many biological (and other)
applications.
 Therefore we are trying to come up with other ideas that
might allow us doing the same experiments under
ambient conditions.