The development of high energy resolution scanning tunneling spectroscopy and its applications in the studies of single spin detection and low-dimensional superconductivity

Abstract

Based on the development of high energy resolution scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), we have realized the inelastic tunneling spectroscopy due to spin-flip and detected single spins. The superexchange coupling between spins was studied at the single molecular level. We have also observed the bound states induced by single magnetic atoms in superconducting gap. Using these bound states, we have investigated the coupling between spins at the single atomic level and identified the chemical species of single atoms. As the last example, the STS measurements revealed that the single atomic layers of lead and indium grown on Si(111) substrate are superconducting.