Temperature and angle dependent magnetic imaging of biological iron nanoparticles using quantum diamond microscopy

Quantum diamond microscopy is an emerging versatile technique for studying the magnetic properties of materials. It has been applied extensively in condensed matter physics and materials science and has blossomed into a unique platform for the magnetic study of biological systems. To date, biological demonstrations of quantum diamond microscopy have been performed under ambient conditions. Here, we extend this magnetic microscopy platform to cryogenic temperatures to study magnetic anisotropy and the blocking temperature from an individual iron organelle found within the inner ear of pigeons. Our work confirms that the interface between thin histological tissue sections and diamond can be maintained under cryogenic temperatures. Our magnetic images provide evidence of magnetic anisotropy from a single iron organelle with sub-cellular resolution using this correlative optical imaging method. This approach may be extended to a broad range of systems where magnetic materials play structural and functional roles in biological systems.