Resonant single and multi-photon coherent transitions in a detuned regime

We performed quantum manipulations of the multi-level spin system S=5/2 of a Mn$^{2+}$ ion, by means of a two-tone pulse drive. The detuning between the excitation and readout radio frequency pulses allows one to select the number of photons involved in a Rabi oscillation as well as increase the frequency of this nutation. Thus detuning can lead to a resonant multi-photon process. Our analytical model for a two-photon process as well as a numerical generalization fit well the experimental findings, with implications in the use of multi-level spin systems as tunable solid state qubits.