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Long-range electronic interaction between Bismuth (Bi) adatoms on graphene formed on a 4H-SiC (0 0 0 1) substrate are clearly observed at room temperature (T = 300 K). Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have demonstrated that such oscillatory interaction results mainly from the mediation of graphene Dirac-like electrons and the effect of the corrugated surface of SiC substrate. These two factors cause the observed oscillatory interaction with characteristic distribution distances and linear arrangements of Bi adatoms. The present study sheds light on understanding and controlling the nucleation of adatoms and subsequent growth of nanostructures on graphene surface.

The nucleation and sintering characteristics of Co on ZnO(1010) during annealing were investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The extent of coverage and annealing temperature were varied to modify the size of the Co nanoclusters. Temperature-dependent X-ray photoemission spectra of the Co chemical state reveal that metallic Co dominates the annealing procedure on ZnO(1010) and is more thermally stable than Co on both ZnO(0001) and ZnO(0001). The effects of annealing time and the distribution of Co adatoms were elucidated by STM. The results have potential implications for the thermal stability of Co/ZnO(1010) in real catalytic processes.

This study elucidates the epitaxial growth structure and chemical state of Co on the ZnO(1010) surface by using scanning tunneling microscopy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. The well-ordered cobalt oxide (CoOx)(2 × 1) structure is formed at 0.5 ML Co coverage. Increasing the Co coverage from 0.7 to 1 ML allows for the surface characterization by the Co stripe structure, while the Co metallic clusters are clearly developed above 3 ML Co coverage. Coverage-dependent measurements of the Co chemical state indicate that the initial Co mixed oxidation and metallic state exists at submonolayer and gradually transfers to a metallic Co-dominated state. The results also suggest that the initial growth mode is two-dimensional-like and bridged to three-dimensional at higher Co coverages.

Nuclear magnetic resonance and imaging (NMR/MRI) of optically pumped (OP) hyperpolarized 3He were studied by using a high-Tc SQUID magnetometer device in microtesla magnetic fields. The OP cell was filled with a few milligrams of Rb metal, 0.0798 bar N2 gas and 0.705 bar 3He gas. The 3He cell had been hyperpolarized at an optical pumping system for 5 ~ 6 hours first; then it was moved to the SQUID-detected nuclear magnetic resonance and imaging system to measure. An appropriate B1 pulse level and time duration generated a 5° low flip angle of polarization. The free induction decay NMR signals were measured. The spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) of 3He was 4.7 hours. We improved the line width of NMR spectrum to 0.8 Hz by compensating the inhomogeneous gradient field of environment. The filtered back projection image of hyperpolarized 3He could show a clear image in one shot. The SQUID-detected NMR/MRI would be a great interest for biological imaging.

In this work, a study of hepatocellular carcinoma and normal livers in rats using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) based on superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) was presented. The time domain free induction decay signals, Sy(t), of cancerous liver tissue and control liver tissue of rats were measured to study the respective longitudinal relaxation rate T1-1 . The NMR data were fitted to [1-exp(-TBp/T1)] to derive the longitudinal relaxation times T1 for cancerous liver tissue and control liver tissue. It is found that T1, cancer of cancerous liver tissues is 2.3 times higher than T1, control of control liver tissues. Statistically the data suggest that T1, cancer/T1, control can be used to discriminate cancerous liver tissue from control tissue. Furthermore, differentiating cancerous tissues from control tissues was demonstrated using magnetic fluid phantoms as phantoms for cancerous and control tissues. The SQUID-detected NMR/MRI exhibits potential applications in clinical research.

The fabrication processes for step-edge high- Tc superconducting-quantum-interference-device (SQUID) magnetometers have been developed. A magnetometer consists of three SQUIDs, which can be activated either individually or in series. Thus, the transfer function can be manipulated by activating a single SQUID or multiple SQUIDs in series. Furthermore, such a SQUID magnetometer is benefited by that if one of the three SQUIDs is broken, the other two SQUIDs are still workable. In addition to characterizing the SQUID magnetometer, the application of the SQUID magnetometer in the low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has also been investigated. The results has shown a clear NMR signal of 4230 Hz for the water under 99.3 μT.

Background It is difficult to discriminate healthy subjects and patients with Parkinson disease (PD) or Parkinson disease dementia (PDD) by assaying plasma α-synuclein because the concentrations of circulating α-synuclein in the blood are almost the same as the low-detection limit using current immunoassays, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In this work, an ultra-sensitive immunoassay utilizing immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) is developed. The reagent for IMR consists of magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with antibodies against α-synuclein and dispersed in pH-7.2 phosphate-buffered saline. A high-Tc superconducting-quantum-interference-device (SQUID) alternative-current magnetosusceptometer is used to measure the IMR signal of the reagent due to the association between magnetic nanoparticles and α-synuclein molecules. Results According to the experimental α-synuclein concentration dependent IMR signal, the low-detection limit is 0.3 fg/ml and the dynamic range is 310 pg/ml. The preliminary results show the plasma α-synuclein for PD patients distributes from 6 to 30 fg/ml. For PDD patients, the concentration of plasma α-synuclein varies from 0.1 to 100 pg/ml. Whereas the concentration of plasma α-synuclein for healthy subjects is significantly lower than that of PD patients. Conclusions The ultra-sensitive IMR by utilizing antibody-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and high-Tc SQUID magnetometer is promising as a method to assay plasma α-synuclein, which is a potential biomarker for discriminating patients with PD or PDD.

To improve graphene-based multifunctional devices at nanoscale, a stepwise and controllable fabrication procedure must be elucidated. Here, a series of structural transition of bismuth (Bi) adatoms, adsorbed on monolayer epitaxial graphene (MEG), is explored at room temperature. Bi adatoms undergo a structural transition from one-dimensional (1D) linear structures to two-dimensional (2D) triangular islands and such 2D growth mode is affected by the corrugated substrate. Upon Bi deposition, a little charge transfer occurs and a characteristic peak can be observed in the tunneling spectrum, reflecting the distinctive electronic structure of the Bi adatoms. When annealed to ~500 K, 2D triangular Bi islands aggregate into Bi nanoclusters (NCs) of uniform size. A well-controlled fabrication method is thus demonstrated. The approaches adopted herein provide perspectives for fabricating and characterizing periodic networks on MEG and related systems, which are useful in realizing graphene-based electronic, energy, sensor and spintronic devices.

In this study, we report the spin-lattice relaxation rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and normal liver tissue in rats using a high-T(c) superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) based nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer. The resonance spectrometer used for discriminating liver tumors in rats via the difference in longitudinal relaxation time in low magnetic fields was set up in a compact and portable magnetic shielding box. The frequency-domain NMR signals of HCC tissues and normal liver tissues were analyzed to study their respective longitudinal relaxation rate T(1) (-1). The T(1) (-1) of liver tissues for ten normal rats and ten cancerous rats were investigated respectively. The averaged T(1) (-1) value of normal liver tissue was (6.41±0.66) s(-1), and the averaged T(1) (-1) value of cancerous tissue was (3.38±0.15) s(-1). The ratio of T(1) (-1) for normal liver tissues and cancerous liver tissues of the rats investigated is estimated to be 1.9. Since this significant statistical difference, the T(1) (-1) value can be used to distinguish the HCC tissues from normal liver tissues. This method of examining liver and tumor tissues has the advantages of being convenient, easy to operate, and stable.

Based on in situ scanning probe microscopy/spectroscopy, this study investigates the stabilization of Zn-terminated ZnO polar plane using surface defects. O-terminated surface defects on a nanometer scale, which have two morphologies, i.e., hexagonal cavities and small pits, are observed at the submonolayer depth on the (0001)-Zn surface by applying medium-energy ${\text{Ar}}^{+}$ bombardment (2.5 keV) at a high temperature $(850\text{ }\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\text{C})$. Experimental results indicate that the local electronic structure of O-terminated surface defects exhibits upward band bending with respect to the Zn-terminated surface, which is consistent with the observations made using Kevin probe microscopy, in which the ZnO polar surface has a locally reversed electrostatic field. Moreover, pair-distribution analysis indicates that the O-terminated surface defects with diameters below 0.9 nm are charged with one electron per pit, thus helping to compensate for the internal polarization.

In this work, the time-dependent phase lag θ of biofunctionalized magnetic nanoparticles (BMNs) conjugated with biotargets is studied with a home-made alternating current (ac) susceptometor for liquid phase immunoassays. The sensing unit of the ac susceptometor composed of excitation, pick-up, and compensation coils are balanced to 0.03 ppm. The BMNs are anti-goat C-reactive protein coated onto dextran-coated magnetic nanoparticles composed of Fe3O4, labeled as Fe3O4-antiCRP. The bio-targets are human CRP. As the human CRP is conjugated with reagents Fe3O4-antiCRP, the magnetic clusters of Fe3O4-antiCRP-CRP are formulated. Due to the clustering effect, the Brownian relaxation of BMNs will be depressed, which in turn enhances the effective relaxation time. By monitoring the dynamic phase lag, we demonstrate a sensitive platform of assaying human CRP. The detection platform is robust, easy to use and can be applied for assaying a wide variety of biotargets including viruses, proteins, tumor markers, chemicals, etc.

In this work, the relaxation rates of ferrofluids are characterized using a high-Tc SQUID-based nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer in different field strengths and temperatures. It was found that the longitudinal relaxation rate, 1/T1, of ferrofluids measured in a high field strength is significantly higher than that measured in a low field strength. We attribute this to the magnetic-field gradients from the magnetization of magnetic nanoparticles that accelerate the T1-relaxation more in a high strength of magnetic fields than they are in a low strength of magnetic fields. Furthermore, T1 and T2 decrease when temperature increases, where T2 is the transverse relaxation time. This is due to the improved field-homogeneity seen by protons' spins at high temperatures, attributed to the enhanced Brownian motion of magnetic nanoparticles. Characterizing the relaxation rates will be helpful for further use of ferrofluids as contrast agents in low-field MR imagings.

In this work, the spin-spin relaxation rate, 1/T2, and spin-lattice relaxation rate, 1/T1, of protons’ spins induced by biofunctionalized magnetic nanoparticles and ferrofluids are investigated using a high-Tc superconducting quantum interference device-detected magnetometer in ultra-low fields. The biofunctionalized magnetic nanoparticles are the anti-human C-reactive protein (antiCRP) coated onto dextran-coated superparamagnetic iron oxides Fe3O4, which is labeled as Fe3O4-antiCRP. The ferrofluids are dextran-coated iron oxides. It was found that both 1/T2 and 1/T1 of protons in Fe3O4-antiCRP are enhanced by the presence of magnetic nanoparticles. Additionally, both the 1/T1 and 1/T2 of Fe3O4-antiCRP are close to that of ferrofluids, which are dextran-coated Fe3O4 dispersed in phosphate buffer saline. Characterizing the relaxation of Fe3O4-antiCRP can be useful for biomedical applications.

In this paper, we investigate the field-dependent T1-relaxation and T1-contrast imaging of ferrofluids using high-Tc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID)-detected nuclear magnetic resonance and imaging in low magnetic fields, where T1 is the spin-lattice relaxation time. It was found that the 1/T1 of ferrofluids increases when the prepolarization field increases. We attribute this to the enhanced magnetic-field gradients generated from the induced magnetization that accelerates the T1-relaxation more in a high strength of fields in comparison to a low strength of fields. Using phantoms with different relaxation times, the T1-contrast images are demonstrated in low magnetic fields, which can be promising for discriminating tumors.

In this work, the spin-spin relaxation of protons in ferrofluids is characterized using a high-Tc SQUID-based detector in microtesla fields. We found that spin-spin relaxation rate is enhanced in the presence of superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The enhanced relaxation rates are attributed to the microscopic field gradients from magnetic nanoparticles that dephase protons’ spins nearby. The relaxation rates decrease when temperatures increase. Additionally, the alternating current magnetic susceptibility was inversely proportional to temperature. Those characteristics explained the enhanced Brownian motion of nanoparticles at high temperatures. Characterizing the relaxation will be helpful for assaying bio-molecules and magnetic resonance imaging in microtesla fields.

We investigated the relaxation of protons in magnetic fluids using a high-Tc SQUID magnetometer. It was found that the longitudinal relaxation rate, 1/T1, is slower than the transverse relaxation rate, 1/T2, for ferrofluids in the same field. This is due to the fact that the 1/T1 process involves returning the magnetization to the z-direction, which automatically involves the loss of magnetization in the x-y plane governed by the 1/T2 process. Additionally, 1/T1 and 1/T2 at high temperatures are slower than the corresponding relaxation rates at low temperatures, which is due to the enhanced Brownian motion of nanoparticles at high temperatures.

In this study, we present a compact and sensitive SQUID-detected nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer and imager (NMR/MRI) using flux coupling in microtesla fields. The pre-polarization coil, measuring coil, pulsed coil, and gradient coils were set up inside a three-layer aluminum box while the SQUID-detector was shielded with a high-Tc superconducting vessel. A compensation field was applied to improve the field homogeneity in magnetically unshielded environments. The spin precession of protons was inductively coupled to the SQUID magnetometer via a resonant flux transformer. We obtained a signal-to-noise ratio of 120 in one measurement, a spectral resolution better than 1 Hz, and a spatial resolution of 1.3 mm in the images.

In this work we present a sensitive J-coupling spectroscopy in one shot using high-Tc superconducting quantum interference devices and a flux transformer in microtesla fields. In the proposed NMR detection scheme the precession of proton spin was inductively coupled to the SQUID magnetometer. We enhanced the SNR signal and the spectral resolution significantly by applying a pre-polarization field of 0.045 T. In microtesla fields where chemical shifts are absent, we demonstrate proton–phosphate coupling J3[H,P] = (10.94 ± 0.08) Hz in trimethyl phosphate. The sensitive NMR spectrometer will be of great interest for diagnosis information of molecular structure and biological applications.

In this work, we present a design that improves signals produced by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging by using optical pumping and a high-Tc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. In our design for a NMR detection system, a pickup coil is coupled to the spin procession of a H3e nucleus; the input coil is coupled to a high-Tc SQUID magnetometer; and the capacitor is connected in series to form a tank circuit resonating at the Larmor frequency of the H3e nucleus in the measuring field. A signal-to-noise ratio gain of 2.67 over a conventional Faraday detection coil was obtained with the high-Tc SQUID detection system in a measuring magnetic field equaling 0.1128 mT, at which the central frequency was 3.66 kHz for H3e nucleus. The improvement in the NMR signal for large-size, hyperpolarized H3e coupled to a high-Tc SQUID-based spectrometer in low magnetic fields at room temperature is significant compared to that without flux coupling. This result may b...

We applied prepolarization field and high-Tc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) detector to enhance nuclear magnetic resonance signal in a microtesla magnetic field. The minimum measuring magnetic field is 8.9μT at which the proton resonance frequency is 380Hz. The specificity instrumentation and the difficulty of using a high-Tc SQUID with prepolarization field were investigated. We applied gradient field to perform one-dimensional proton imaging in a microtesla magnetic field. Additionally, low field high-Tc SQUID-based NMR systems are promising in biomagnetic research due to its use, for example, in imaging with hyperpolarized noble gas.