Rydberg Atoms Research Articles

On the structure factor of jammed particle configurations on the one-dimensional lattice

Abstract A broad class of blocked or jammed configurations of particles on the one-dimensional lattice can be characterized in terms of local rules involving only the lengths of clusters of particles (occupied sites) and of holes (empty sites). Examples of physical relevance include the metastable states reached by kinetically constrained spin chains, the attractors of totally irreversible processes such as random sequential adsorption, and arrays of Rydberg atoms in the blockade regime. The configurational entropy of ensembles of such blocked configurations has been investigated recently by means of an approach inspired from the theory of stochastic renewal processes. This approach provides a valuable alternative to the more traditional transfer-matrix formalism. We show that the renewal approach is also an efficient tool to investigate a range of observables in uniform ensembles of blocked configurations, besides their configurational entropy.
The main emphasis is on their structure factor and correlation function.

Eliminating sensing blind spots of field-enhanced Rydberg atomic antenna via an asymmetric parallel-plate resonator

Due to its large electric dipole moment, the Rydberg atom exhibits a strong response to weak electric fields, hence it is regarded as a highly promising atomic antenna. However, to enhance the reception sensitivity, split-ring resonators are needed normally, which will brings sensing blind spots. Thus it is not conducive to the application of full-coverage space communication. Here we propose that an atomic antenna with an asymmetric parallel-plate resonator, can not only enhance the received signal, but also eliminate sensing blind spots (pattern roundness can reach 7.8 dB while the split-ring resonator can be up to 39 dB). We analyze the influence of structural parameters on the field enhancement factor and directionality, and further discuss the limitation of the sensitivity by using thermal resistor noise theory. This work is expected to pave the way for the development of field-enhanced Rydberg atomic antennas that communicate without a blind spot.

Unraveling the Rich Fragmentation Dynamics Associated with S-H Bond Fission Following Photoexcitation of H2S at Wavelengths ∼129.1 nm.

H2S is being detected in the atmospheres of ever more interstellar bodies, and photolysis is an important mechanism by which it is processed. Here, we report H Rydberg atom time-of-flight measurements following the excitation of H2S molecules to selected rotational (JKaKc') levels of the 1B1 Rydberg state associated with the strong absorption feature at wavelengths of λ ∼ 129.1 nm. Analysis of the total kinetic energy release spectra derived from these data reveals that all levels predissociate to yield H atoms in conjunction with both SH(A) and SH(X) partners and that the primary SH(A)/SH(X) product branching ratio increases steeply with ⟨Jb2⟩, the square of the rotational angular momentum about the b-inertial axis in the excited state. These products arise via competing homogeneous (vibronic) and heterogeneous (Coriolis-induced) predissociation pathways that involve coupling to dissociative potential energy surfaces (PES(s)) of, respectively, 1A″ and 1A' symmetries. The present data also show H + SH(A) product formation when exciting the JKaKc' = 000 and 111 levels, for which ⟨Jb2⟩ = 0 and Coriolis coupling to the 1A' PES(s) is symmetry forbidden, implying the operation of another, hitherto unrecognized, route to forming H + SH(A) products following excitation of H2S at energies above ∼9 eV. These data can be expected to stimulate future ab initio molecular dynamic studies that test, refine, and define the currently inferred predissociation pathways available to photoexcited H2S molecules.

Single-pulse two-qubit gates for Rydberg atoms with noncyclic geometric control

Single-pulse two-qubit gates for Rydberg atoms with noncyclic geometric control

Investigating transfer of coherence, direction of light propagation and Rydberg blockade in a four-level [formula omitted]-type system under linear and nonlinear interaction regimes

This theoretical study reveals that the transfer of coherence (TOC) and the direction of light propagation vector play a crucial role in transitioning from electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) to electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA) in a four-level closed and open cascade (Ξ)-type light-atom interacting systems (LAIS) under both linear as well as nonlinear interaction regimes. It is found that the amplitudes of the coherence signals are distinctly influenced by the system’s openness driven by the presence of additional dipole allowed levels not connected by the lasers and the type of interaction regimes. The effect of TOC on the EIT to EIA transition is discussed in detail by the velocity-dependent dressed state analysis and velocity mapping of the probe absorption coefficient. The findings also reveal that the efficiency of the counter-propagation scheme of the coupling fields is higher than the co-propagation scheme. Furthermore, we have estimated the Rydberg blockade effect on the probe absorption profiles for some specific velocity groups of atoms, which exhibit probe gain in the medium along with EIT and EIA patterns.

Quantum dynamics of a fully blockaded Rydberg atom ensemble

Quantum dynamics of a fully blockaded Rydberg atom ensemble

Theoretical study on Stark effect of Rydberg atom in super low frequency electric field measurement

AbstractSuper low frequency electric field measurements are crucial in analysing electromagnetic compatibility, assessing equipment status, and other related fields. Rydberg atom‐based super low frequency electric field measurements are performed by observing the Stark shift in the spectrum of the Rydberg state. In a specific range of field strength (E < Eavoid, where Eavoid is the threshold to avoid crossing electric fields), the Rydberg atomic spectrum experiences a quadratic frequency shift in relation to the field strength, with the coefficient being determined by the atomic polarisability α. The authors establish a dynamic equation for the interaction between the external electric field and the atomic system, and present the Stark structure diagram of the Caesium Rydberg atom. The mathematical formulae for α and Eavoid in different Rydberg states are also obtained: α = A × (n*)6 + B × (n*)7 and Eavoid = C/(n*)5 + D/(n*)7, where A(B) = 2.2503 × 10−9(7.49,948 × 10−11) and C(D) = 1.68,868 × 108(2.45,991 × 109). The error of α and Eavoid compared with the experimental values does not exceed 8% and is even lower in the low Rydberg states. Accurately calculating the values of α and Eavoid is crucial in incorporating the Rydberg atom quantum coherence effect into super low frequency electric field measurements in new power systems.

Stark Effects of Rydberg Excitons in a Monolayer WSe2 P-N Junction.

The enhanced Coulomb interaction in two-dimensional semiconductors leads to tightly bound electron-hole pairs known as excitons. The large binding energy of excitons enables the formation of Rydberg excitons with high principal quantum numbers (n), analogous to Rydberg atoms. Rydberg excitons possess strong interactions among themselves as well as sensitive responses to external stimuli. Here, we probe Rydberg exciton resonances through photocurrent spectroscopy in a monolayer WSe2 p-n junction formed by a split-gate geometry. We show that an external in-plane electric field not only induces a large Stark shift of Rydberg excitons up to quantum principal number 3 but also mixes different orbitals and brightens otherwise dark states such as 3p and 3d. Our study provides an exciting platform for engineering Rydberg excitons for new quantum states and quantum sensing.

Benchmarking discrete truncated Wigner approximation and neural network quantum states with the exact dynamics in a Rydberg atomic chain

Abstract We benchmark the discrete truncated Wigner approximation (DTWA) and Neural quantum states (NQS) based on restricted Boltzmann-like machines with the exact excitation and correlation dynamics in a chain of ten Rydberg atoms. The initial state is where all atoms are in their electronic ground state. We characterize the excitation dynamics using the maximum and time-averaged number of Rydberg excitations. DTWA results are different from the exact dynamics for large Rydberg-Rydberg interactions. In contrast, by increasing the number of hidden spins, the NQS can be improved but still limited to short-time dynamics. Interestingly, irrespective of interaction strengths, the time-averaged number of excitations obtained using NQS is in excellent agreement with the exact results. Concerning the calculation of quantum correlations, for instance, second-order bipartite and average two-site R'enyi entropies, NQS looks more promising. Finally, we discuss the existence of a power law scaling for the initial growth of average two-site R'enyi entropy.

Stochastic series expansion quantum Monte Carlo for Rydberg arrays

Arrays of Rydberg atoms are a powerful platform to realize strongly-interacting quantum many-body systems. A common Rydberg Hamiltonian is free of the sign problem, meaning that its equilibrium properties are amenable to efficient simulation by quantum Monte Carlo (QMC). In this paper, we develop a Stochastic Series Expansion QMC algorithm for Rydberg atoms interacting on arbitrary lattices. We describe a cluster update that allows for the efficient sampling and calculation of physical observables for typical experimental parameters, and show that the algorithm can reproduce experimental results on large Rydberg arrays in one and two dimensions.

A millimeter-wave atomic receiver

Rydberg quantum sensors are sensitive to radio-frequency fields across an ultra-wide frequency range spanning megahertz to terahertz electromagnetic waves resonant with Rydberg atom dipole transitions. Here, we demonstrate an atomic millimeter-wave heterodyne receiver employing continuous-wave lasers stabilized to an optical frequency comb. We characterize the atomic receiver in the W-band at a signal frequency of f = 95.992 512 GHz and demonstrate a sensitivity of 7.9 μV/m/Hz with a linear dynamic range in power greater than 70 dB. We develop frequency selectivity metrics for atomic receivers and demonstrate their use in our millimeter-wave receiver, including signal rejection levels at signal frequency offsets Δf/f = 10−4, 10−5, and 10−6; 3, 6, 9, and 12-dB bandwidths; filter roll-off; and shape factor analysis. Our work represents an important advance toward future studies and applications of atomic receiver science and technology in weak millimeter-wave and high-frequency signal detection.

Detecting axion dark matter with Rydberg atoms via induced electric dipole transitions

Detecting axion dark matter with Rydberg atoms via induced electric dipole transitions

Local tuning of Rydberg exciton energies in nanofabricated Cu2O pillars

Rydberg excitons in Cu2O feature giant optical nonlinearities. To exploit these nonlinearities for quantum applications, the confinement must match the Rydberg blockade size, which in Cu2O could be as large as a few microns. Here, in a top-down approach, we show how exciton confinement can be realised by focused-ion-beam etching of a polished bulk Cu2O crystal without noticeable degradation of the excitonic properties. The etching of the crystal to micron sizes allows for tuning the energies of Rydberg excitons locally, and precisely, by optically induced temperature change. These results pave the way for exploiting the large nonlinearities of Rydberg excitons in micropillars for making non-classical light sources, while the precise tuning of their emission energy opens up a viable pathway for realising a scalable photonic quantum simulation platform.

Strongly interacting Rydberg atoms in synthetic dimensions with a magnetic flux

Synthetic dimensions, wherein dynamics occurs in a set of internal states, have found great success in recent years in exploring topological effects in cold atoms and photonics. However, the phenomena thus far explored have largely been restricted to the non-interacting or weakly interacting regimes. Here, we extend the synthetic dimensions playbook to strongly interacting systems of Rydberg atoms prepared in optical tweezer arrays. We use precise control over driving microwave fields to introduce a tunable U(1) flux in a four-site lattice of coupled Rydberg levels. We find highly coherent dynamics, in good agreement with theory. Single atoms show oscillatory dynamics controllable by the gauge field. Small arrays of interacting atoms exhibit behavior suggestive of the emergence of ergodic and arrested dynamics in the regimes of intermediate and strong interactions, respectively. These demonstrations pave the way for future explorations of strongly interacting dynamics and many-body phases in Rydberg synthetic lattices.

Chiral quantum router with Rydberg atoms

Chiral quantum router with Rydberg atoms

Coherent Spin-Phonon Scattering in Facilitated Rydberg Lattices.

We investigate the dynamics of a one-dimensional spin system with facilitation constraint that can be studied using Rydberg atoms in arrays of optical tweezer traps. The elementary degrees of freedom of the system are domains of Rydberg excitations that expand ballistically through the lattice. Because of mechanical forces, Rydberg excited atoms are coupled to vibrations within their traps. At zero temperature and large trap depth, it is known that virtually excited lattice vibrations only renormalize the timescale of the ballistic propagation. However, when vibrational excitations are initially present-i.e., when the external motion of the atoms is prepared in an excited Fock state, coherent state or thermal state-resonant scattering between spin domain walls and phonons takes place. This coherent and deterministic process, which is free from disorder, leads to a reduction of the power-law exponent characterizing the expansion of spin domains. Furthermore, the spin domain dynamics is sensitive to the coherence properties of the atoms' vibrational state, such as the relative phase of coherently superimposed Fock states. Even for a translationally invariant initial state the latter manifests macroscopically in a phase-sensitive asymmetric expansion.

Properties of laser-targeted Rydberg Matter with changes in pressure and magnetic field

Rydberg Matter (RM) is a condensate of Rydberg atoms, forming planar hexagonal clusters on a surface. It can exhibit several interesting properties when targeted by a laser pulse, such as expelling particles that can be measured using Time-of-Flight (TOF). Four peaks, shown by voltage spikes caused by a distinct increase in the number of measured particles, were identified in the current experiments. Three of them were in the ns range and one was in the µs range, over 100 cm from emitter to detector. The third ns peak showed a logarithmic correlation between TOF and pressure, reducing TOF from 31-34 ns to 21-24 ns with an increase in pressure from 1 × 10−4 mbar to 5 × 10−2 mbar. This is suggested to arise from a reaction in RM that have reduced reaction time with higher pressure, resulting in photon emission. Additionally, a linear correlation between time and magnitude was found for the µs peak, and the magnitude of this peak could be increased 30 times by setting up a magnetic field compared to having no magnetic field. Still, the concept of RM is not fully developed or understood, and while these findings give more knowledge to the area, they also produce more questions.

Collective Excitations of Bose–Einstein Condensate in a Rydberg Atom

Collective Excitations of Bose–Einstein Condensate in a Rydberg Atom

Narrow Linewidth 510 nm Laser via Single-Pass Frequency-Tripling by Waveguide PPLNs

A single-frequency narrow linewidth green laser at 510 nm is a vital component for the study of Cesium Rydberg atoms. Here, we demonstrate a 510 nm laser based on single-pass second-harmonic generation (SHG) and sum-frequency generation (SFG) via waveguide Periodically Poled Lithium Niobate (PPLN) seeded with a common C-band laser (1530 nm). The final linewidth measured using the delayed self-heterodyne method reaches a narrow linewidth of 4.8 kHz. And, the optical-to-optical conversion efficiency is up to 13.1% and reaches an output power up to 200 mW.

Control and Entanglement of Individual Rydberg Atoms near a Nanoscale Device.

Coherent control of Rydberg atoms near dielectric surfaces is a major challenge due to the large sensitivity of Rydberg states to electric fields. We demonstrate coherent single-atom operations and two-qubit entanglement as close as 100  μm from a nanophotonic device. Using the individual atom control enabled by optical tweezers to study the spatial and temporal properties of the electric field from the surface, we employ dynamical decoupling techniques to characterize and cancel the electric-field noise with submicrosecond temporal resolution. We further use entanglement-assisted sensing to accurately map magnitude and direction of electric-field gradients on a micrometer scale. Our observations open a path for integration of Rydberg arrays with micro- and nanoscale devices for applications in quantum networking and quantum information science.