Aharon Blank, Associate Professor

Research Interests:

Development and application of new methodologies in the field of magnetic resonance

Short Synopsis:

• Our goals:  Increasing the sensitivity of magnetic resonance, mainly in relation to electron spin resonance (ESR), aiming at single spin sensitivity.

• Increasing the spatial resolution of magnetic resonance imaging, also mainly in relation to ESR, aiming at the micron scale for biological samples and nm scale for materials science and basic physics problems.
• Increasing the affordability and availability of magnetic resonance in relation to both Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and ESR, using compact magnets, cost-effective spectrometers and efficient coils and resonators.
Apply new magnetic resonance methodologies to the following applications:
• Mapping of oxygen and reactive oxygen species in biological systems
• Imaging and characterization of defects and impurities in semiconductors and solar cells
• Measurement of diffusion in the micro sec time scale and 10s nm length scale in solutions
• Estimation of ionizing radiation doses by ESR signal of teeth
• Unique compact NMR and ESR probes for medical applications

 

1. “Pulsed Electron Spin Resonance Ex-situ Probe for Tooth Biodosimetry” Sirota, K., Twig, Y., and Blank, A., Applied Magnetic Resonance – In Press
2. “Nonlinear induction detection of electron spin resonance” Bachar, G., Suchoi1, O., Shtempluck, O., Blank, A., and Buks, E., Applied Physics Letters 101 (2012) 022602

 

3. “Dielectric Resonator for K a-Band Pulsed EPR Measurements at Cryogenic Temperatures: Probehead Construction and Applications” Raitsimring, A., Astashkin, A., Enemark, J. H., Blank, A., Twig, Y., Song, Y., Meade, T. J Applied Magnetic Resonance, 42 (2012), 441-452.

 

4. “Cryogenic electron spin resonance microimaging probe” Twig Y., Dikarov E., and Blank A. Journal of Magnetic Resonance, 218 (2012) 22-29.