In a study published in Nature Communications, a team led by Professor Yang Kai from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor Joaquín Fernández-Rossier from the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory has, for the first time, achieved full electrical control of quantum interference on the spin of a single atom on a surface. Using electron spin resonance scanning tunneling microscopy (ESR-STM), the researchers developed a method to modulate the interaction between the atom and the tip using a strong electric field, successfully driving Landau-Zener-Stückelberg-Majorana (LZSM) quantum interference of single and coupled atomic spins on an insulating thin film.

In the experiment, the team rapidly drove the spin states through avoided-crossing paths and observed typical interference patterns of multi-photon resonances and spin-transfer torque. In coupled spin systems, the multi-level LZSM spectra exhibited unique interference features dependent on the many-body energy landscape. This mechanism breaks through the traditional dependence of quantum control on magnetic fields or microwaves, providing a fully electrical solution for precise manipulation of spins in atomic-scale quantum architectures. The study points out that this technology enables fast and robust quantum state control, opening a new path for the development of spin-based quantum processors.

Professor Yang Kai said: "Full electrical control avoids the need for complex electromagnetic fields and significantly improves the scalability of atomic-scale quantum systems." Experimental data show that by adjusting the strength and direction of the electric field, the spin coupling strength and interference patterns can be regulated in real time, providing key technical support for multi-qubit cooperative operations in future quantum computing.