Electron spin resonance with scanning tunneling microscopy: a tool for an on-surface quantum platform of identical qubits

Abstract

Integration of electron spin resonance (ESR) in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) has enabled all-electrical control of atomic and molecular spins on solid surfaces with atomic-scale precision and energy resolution beyond thermal limitations. Further, coherent manipulation and detection of individual spins in an ESR-STM establishes a powerful quantum platform, allowing for the implementation of fundamental quantum logic operations to on-surface identical qubits (same chemical species but ESR-adressable). In this review, we introduce recent advances of ESR-STM, focusing on its application to atomic-scale qubits and extension to molecular qubit systems. We discuss the principles underlying ESR-STM, followed by single-spin addressability, coherent control via Rabi oscillations, and quantum state readout through frequency-resolved detection. We further demonstrate multi-qubit control architectures enabled by atom manipulation and local magnetic field engineering, culminating in the realization of multi-qubit logic gates such as the Controlled-NOT and Toffoli gates. These implementations highlight the specialty of ESR-STM towards atomic-scale quantum circuits. Indeed, ESR-STM can be an excellent tool to perform and evaluate quantum operations in molecular qubits. The results reviewed in this collection establish ESR-STM as a versatile tool for advancing quantum coherent science at the atomic and molecular level in solid-state environments. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.