Spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM) experiments on ultrathin films with non-collinear spin textures demonstrate that resonant tunneling allows for atomic-scale spin-sensitive imaging in real space at tip-sample distances of up to 8 nm. Spin-polarized resonance states evolving between the foremost atom of a magnetic probe tip and the opposed magnetic surface atom are found to provide a loophole from the hitherto existing dilemma of losing spatial resolution when increasing the tip-sample distance in a scanning probe setup. Bias-dependent series of SP-STM images recorded via resonant tunneling reveal spin sensitivity at resonance conditions, indicating that the spin-polarized resonance states act as mediators for the spin contrast across the nm-spaced vacuum gap. With technically feasible distances in the nm regime, resonant tunneling in SP-STM qualifies for a spin-sensitive read-write technique with ultimate lateral resolution in future spintronic applications.

中文翻译：

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纳米距离原子级自旋纹理的真实空间成像

在具有非共线自旋纹理的超薄膜上进行的自旋偏振扫描隧道显微镜 (SP-STM) 实验表明，共振隧道允许在实际空间中以高达 8 nm 的尖端样品距离进行原子级自旋敏感成像。发现在磁性探针尖端的最前面的原子和相对的磁性表面原子之间演化的自旋极化共振态提供了一个漏洞，可以解决迄今为止在增加扫描探针设置中的尖端 - 样品距离时失去空间分辨率的困境。通过共振隧穿记录的偏倚系列 SP-STM 图像揭示了共振条件下的自旋敏感性，表明自旋极化共振态作为跨越纳米间隔真空间隙的自旋对比度的介质。技术上可行的距离在 nm 范围内，