Tuning Electron Energy with Atomic Vibrations

Physicists at the University of Regensburg have observed and controlled how the energy of a single electron is tuned by the vibrations of surrounding atoms. Using an ultrafast microscope, they achieved atomic resolution on ultrafast timescales. The team used an atomically thin material to investigate how a discrete energy level changes when this atomic layer moves like a drum membrane. They observed this at a vacancy, the void left when an atom is removed. The atomic motion of the surrounding atoms shifts and controls the energy level of the vacancy. This discovery could be crucial for the development of super-fast quantum technologies.