Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy using a single artificial atom

Electron paramagnetic resonance ( EPR) spectroscopy is an important technology in physics, chemistry, materials science, and biology. Sensitive detection with a small sample volume is a key objective in these areas, because it is crucial, for example, for the readout of a highly packed spin based quantum memory or the detection of transition metals in biomaterials. Here, we demonstrate a novel EPR spectrometer using a single artificial atom as a sensitive detector of spin magnetization. The artificial atom, a superconducting flux qubit, provides advantages in terms of its strong coupling with magnetic fields. We estimate a sensitivity of similar to 400 spins.Hz(-1/2) with a magnetic sensing volume around 10(-14)lambda(3) (50 femtoliters), where lambda is the wavelength of the irradiated microwave. Our artificial atom works as a highly sensitive EPR spectrometer with micron-scale area with future opportunity for measuring single spins on the nanometer scale.