An STM uses an ultrasharp needle to detect single atoms by sensing their electrons. Both atomic nuclei and their surrounding electrons carry a property called spin, which behaves like a quantum magnet. While electron spin detection with STM was first achieved a decade ago, probing the slower nuclear spin had remained out of reach.
Professor Sander Otte's team built on earlier theoretical work showing that electron spins could reveal nuclear spin states via the hyperfine interaction. However, previous attempts had been too slow to capture changes in real time.
First authors Evert Stolte and Jinwon Lee overcame this by conducting rapid measurements on an atom with a known nuclear spin. They watched the nuclear signal flip back and forth on-screen, switching every five seconds on average - far longer than the mere 100 nanoseconds typical for electron spins.
Because they could detect nuclear spin states faster than they flipped, and without significantly disturbing them, the researchers achieved so-called single-shot readout. This new capability opens pathways to controlling nuclear spins in surface-bound atoms, a critical step toward future quantum simulation and ultra-precise sensing technologies.
Research Report:Single-shot readout of the nuclear spin of an on-surface atom
Related Links
Delft University of Technology
Understanding Time and Space
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