Quantum researchers observe real-time switching of magnet in heart of single atom

Researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have been able to see the magnetic nucleus of an atom switch back and forth in real time. They read out the nuclear
"spin" via the electrons in the same atom through the needle of a scanning tunneling microscope.

To their surprise, the spin remained stable for several seconds, offering prospects for enhanced control of the magnetic nucleus. The research, published in Nature Communications, is a step forward for quantum sensing at the atomic scale.

A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) consists of an atomically sharp needle that can "feel" single atoms on a surface and make images with atomic resolution.

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