Visualization of Spin Polarized States in Biologically-Produced Ensembles of Ferromagnetic Palladium Nanoparticles

We report visualization of spin polarized states in macroscopic ensembles of biologically-produced ferromagnetic palladium nanoparticles using the Faraday effect-based technique of magneto-optical imaging. The ferromagnetic palladium only exists in the form of nanoparticles. Large quantities of palladium nanoparticles may be synthesized via biomineralization from a Pd2+ solution. The ferromagnetic Pd nanoparticles are formed in the periplasmic space of bacteria during the hydrogen-assisted reduction of Pd2+ ions by hydrogenases. The ferromagnetism in Pd comes from itinerant electrons. A high Curie temperature of ferromagnetic palladium, about 200 degrees centigrade above room temperature, would allow for a range of room-temperature magnetic applications. The processes of the isolation of electron spins in separate nanoparticles, spin hopping, spin transport and spin correlations may even form a basis of quantum computing. So far, measurements of the magnetic properties of Pd nanoparticles (PdNP) have been limited by integral techniques such as SQUID magnetometry, magnetic circular dihroism and muon spin rotation spectroscopy ( SR). In the present study, ferromagnetic Pd nanoparticles are characterized using the technique of magneto-optical imaging. This allows visualization of the spin polarization by the variations in the intensity of polarized light. To perform measurements at relatively low magnetic fields, a spin injection from a colossal magnetoresistive material has been used. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3533