Electrically driven spin resonance of 4f electrons in a single atom on a surface
June 24, 2024
Stefano Reale, Jiyoon Hwang, Jeongmin Oh, Harald Brune, Andreas J. Heinrich, Fabio Donati & Yujeong Bae
Nature Communications
Description
In the field of quantum technologies, a critical hurdle is achieving long coherence of quantum states while effectively performing their manipulation. Lanthanide atoms, due to their highly localized 4f electrons, offer a promising avenue for overcoming this challenge, provided that one can engineer reliable methods for their manipulation and detection. Our work demonstrates that, by constructing tailored structures in an -atom-by-atom fashion, it is possible to perform electron spin resonance on individual lanthanide atoms using a scanning tunneling microscope. By creating a magnetic arrangement involving erbium and titanium atoms, we can drive and indirectly sense the erbium's 4f electron spins via the titanium's 3d electrons. This approach demonstrates prolonged spin relaxation times and enhanced operational efficiency compared to similar setups employing 3d atoms with spin ½. Our research introduces a novel approach for accessing and controlling robust spin states, marking a significant step towards their coherent manipulation through all-electrical means.
Abstract
A pivotal challenge in quantum technologies lies in reconciling long coherence times with efficient manipulation of the quantum states of a system. Lanthanide atoms, with their well-localized 4f electrons, emerge as a promising solution to this dilemma if provided with a rational design for manipulation and detection. Here we construct tailored spin structures to perform electron spin resonance on a single lanthanide atom using a scanning tunneling microscope. A magnetically coupled structure made of an erbium and a titanium atom enables us to both drive the erbium’s 4f electron spins and indirectly probe them through the titanium’s 3d electrons. The erbium spin states exhibit an extended spin relaxation time and a higher driving efficiency compared to 3d atoms with spin ½ in similarly coupled structures. Our work provides a new approach to accessing highly protected spin states, enabling their coherent control in an all-electric fashion.