An experimental approach for investigating many-body phenomena in Rydberg-interacting quantum systems

Recent developments in the study of ultracold Rydberg gases demand an adwanced level of experimental sophistication, in which high atomic and optical densities must be combined with excellent control of external fields and sensitive Rydberg atom detection. We describe a tailored experimental system used to produce and study Rydberg-interacting atoms excited from dense ultracold atomic gases. The experiment has been optimized for fast duty cycles using a high flux cold atom source and a three beam optical dipole trap. The latter enables tuning of the atomic density and temperature over several orders of magnitude, all the way to the Bose--Einstein condensation transition. An elec- trode structure surrounding the atoms allows for precise control over electric fields and single-particle sensitive field ionization detection of Rydberg atoms. We review two experiments which highlight the influence of strong Rydberg---Rydberg interactions on different many-body systems. First, the Rydberg blockade effect is used to pre-structure an atomic gas prior to its spontaneous evolution into an ultracold plasma. Second, hybrid states of photons and atoms called dark-state polaritons are studied. By looking at the statistical distribution of Rydberg excited atoms we reveal correlations between dark-state polaritons. These experiments will ultimately provide a deeper understanding of many-body phenomena in strongly-interacting regimes, including the study of strongly-coupled plasmas and interfaces between atoms and light at the quantum level.     

一种高分辨里德堡原子外场光谱实验方法

介绍一种用于里德堡原子外场效应研究的实验方法，用该方法获得了Ｓｅ原子里德堡态各种外场效应研究的初步结果，显示了此方法用于外场效应的研究的有效性。     

调制激光场中Rydberg原子的电磁感应透明

本文主要研究了调制探测激光场中铯Rydberg 原子阶梯型三能级系统的电磁感应透明(EIT) 效应. 铯原子基态6S_1/2, 第一激发态6P_3/2 和Rydberg 态形成阶梯型三能级系统, 探测光作用于6S_1/2 (F = 4)→6P_3/2(F' = 5) 的跃迁, 耦合光在Rydberg 跃迁线6P_3/2→49S_1/2 附近扫描, 形成Rydberg 原子EIT. 当对探测光频率施加一个几kHz 的调制时, 调制解调后的EIT 信号分裂为两个峰, 双峰间距与调制频率无关,而与调制幅度导致的失谐量大小(频率调制幅度) 成正比, 双峰间隔的一半等于探测光频率调制幅度的λ_p/λ_c = 1.67 倍. 实验结果与理论计算相一致. 本文的研究结果可应用于激光线型和频率抖动的实时监测.     

Observation of the Dipole Blockade Effect in Detecting Rydberg Atoms by the Selective Field Ionization Method

The dipole blockade effect at laser excitation of mesoscopic ensembles of Rydberg atoms lies in the fact that the excitation of one atom to a Rydberg state blocks the excitation of other atoms due to the shift in the collective energy levels of interacting Rydberg atoms. It is used to obtain the entangled qubit states based on single neutral atoms in optical traps. In this paper, we present our experimental results on the observation of the dipole blockade for mesoscopic ensembles of 1–5 atoms when they are detected by the selective field ionization method. We have investigated the spectra of the three-photon laser excitation 5S1/2 → 5P3/2 → 6S1/2 → nP3/2 of cold Rydberg Rb atoms in a magneto-optical trap. We have found that for mesoscopic ensembles this method allows only a partial dipole blockage to be observed. This is most likely related to the presence of parasitic electric fields reducing the interaction energy of Rydberg atoms, the decrease in the probability of detecting high states, and the strong angular dependence of the interaction energy of Rydberg atoms in a single interaction volume.     

Semiclassical calculation of ionisation rate for Rydberg helium atoms in an electric field

The ionisation of Rydberg helium atoms in an electric field above the classical ionisation threshold has been examined using the semiclassical method, with particular emphasis on discussing the influence of the core scattering on the escape dynamics of electrons. The results show that the Rydberg helium atoms ionise by emitting a train of electron pulses. Unlike the case of the ionisation of Rydberg hydrogen atom in parallel electric and magnetic fields, where the pulses of the electron are caused by the external magnetic field, the pulse trains for Rydberg helium atoms are created through core scattering. Each peak in the ionisation rate corresponds to the contribution of one core-scattered combination trajectory. This fact further illustrates that the ionic core scattering leads to the chaotic property of the Rydberg helium atom in external fields. Our studies provide a simple explanation for the escape dynamics in the ionisation of nonhydrogenic atoms in external fields.     

Semiclassical calculation of the recurrence spectra of He Rydberg atom in perpendicular electric and magnetic fields

Closed orbit theory is a semiclassical technique for explaining the spectra of Rydberg atoms in external fields. By developing the closed orbit theory from two degrees of freedom to three non-separable degrees of freedom, we calculated the recurrence spectra of He Rydberg atom in perpendicular electric and magnetic fields. The closed orbits in the corresponding classical system have also been obtained. Fourier transformed spectra of He atoms have allowed direct comparison between the resonance peaks and the scaled action values of closed orbits, whereas the nonhydrogenic resonance can be explained in terms of the new orbits created by the core scattering. The semiclassical result is in good agreement with the quantum spectra, which suggests that our method is correct.     

A Time-Dependent Approach to High-Resolution Photoabsorption Spectrum of Rydberg Atoms in Magnetic Fields

A robust time-dependent approach to the high-resolution photoabsorption spectrum of Rydberg atoms in magnetic fields is presented. Traditionally we have to numerically diagonalize a huge matrix to solve the eigen-problem and then to obtain the spectral information. This matrix operation requires high-speed computers with large memories. Alternatively we present a unitary but very easily parallelized time-evolution method in an inexpensive way, which is very accurate and stable even in long-time scaie evolution. With this method, we perform the spectral caiculation of hydrogen atom in magnetic field, which agrees well with the experimentai observation. It can be extended to study the dynamics of Rydberg atoms in more complicated cases such as in combined electric and magnetic fields.     

Cold and ultracold Rydberg atoms in strong magnetic fields

Cold Rydberg atoms exposed to strong magnetic fields possess unique properties which open the pathway for an intriguing many-body dynamics taking place in Rydberg gases, consisting of either matter or anti-matter systems. We review both the foundations and recent developments of the field in the cold and ultracold regime where trapping and cooling of Rydberg atoms have become possible. Exotic states of moving Rydberg atoms, such as giant dipole states, are discussed in detail, including their formation mechanisms in a strongly magnetized cold plasma. Inhomogeneous field configurations influence the electronic structure of Rydberg atoms, and we describe the utility of corresponding effects for achieving tightly trapped ultracold Rydberg atoms. We review recent work on large, extended cold Rydberg gases in magnetic fields and their formation in strongly magnetized ultracold plasmas through collisional recombination. Implications of these results for current antihydrogen production experiments are pointed out, and techniques for the trapping and cooling of such atoms are investigated.     

High-precision three-dimensional Rydberg atom localization in a four-level atomic system

Rydberg atoms have been widely investigated due to their large size, long radiative lifetime, huge polarizability and strong dipole-dipole interactions. The position information of Rydberg atoms provides more possibilities for quantum optics research, which can be obtained under the localization method. We study the behavior of three-dimensional(3 D)Rydberg atom localization in a four-level configuration with the measurement of the spatial optical absorption. The atomic localization precision depends strongly on the detuning and Rabi frequency of the involved laser fields. A 100% probability of finding the Rydberg atom at a specific 3 D position is achieved with precision of ～0.031λ. This work demonstrates the possibility for achieving the 3 D atom localization of the Rydberg atom in the experiment.     

Coherent excitation of Rydberg atoms in an ultracold gas

We demonstrate two schemes for the coherent excitation of Rydberg atoms in an ultracold gas of rubidium atoms employing the three-level ladder system 5S_1/2-5P_3/2-n?_j. In the first approach rapid adiabatic passage with pulsed laser fields yields Rydberg excitation probabilities of 90% in the center of the laser focus. In a second experiment two-photon Rydberg excitation with continuous-wave fields is applied which results in Rabi oscillations between the ground and Rydberg state. The experiments represent a prerequisite for the control of interactions in ultracold Rydberg gases and the application of ultracold Rydberg gases for quantum information processing.     

基于Rydberg原子的超宽频带射频传感器

Rydberg原子具有极大的极化率和微波跃迁偶极矩,对外界电磁场非常敏感,可实现基于Rydberg原子的超宽频带射频电场的高分辨高灵敏测量.通过Rydberg原子的全光学无损的电磁感应透明探测手段,可以实现基于原子的快速免校准宽频带(0.01-1000 GHz)外电场的精密测量.对于频率大于1 GHz的微波场,由微波场耦合相邻Rydberg能级形成的Autler-Townes分裂进行测量;而对于频率小于1 GHz的长波射频场,由Rydberg能级的射频边带能级进行测量.这种方法是基于原子能级参数,可溯源到基本物理常量,不依赖于外界参考;且对电场无干扰,易于实现微型化和集成化,具有广泛的应用前景.本文主要综述了基于Rydberg原子的外电场测量的最新研究进展,重点介绍长波长射频场的测量,包括电场强度、频率以及极化方向的测量,详细介绍了其测量原理和探测灵敏度,并讨论了其应用前景及未来发展方向.     

Resonant scattering of three-level Rydberg atoms in a microwave field

We examine the theory of potential scattering of Rydberg atoms in a microwave field. The model of a three-level atom is employed to calculate the radiative force emerging in the resonant coherent interaction with the microwave field for the case of a two-photon resonance and high intensities, using the method of quasienergies of the system consisting of the atom and the field. We determine the probabilities of Landau-Zener transitions in the spatial regions where under two-photon resonance conditions the quasienergies of the atoms approach one another by a small quantity. We also study the dynamics of the variation of the spatial profile of a beam of Rydberg atoms caused by resonant scattering. Finally, we give the results of the first experimental observation of the variation of the transverse beam profile when Rydberg atoms pass through a nonuniform microwave field formed in a rectangular waveguide and in resonance with the two-photon 36P–37P transition. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 796–815 (March 1997)     

Ultralong-range Rydberg molecules

We review ultralong-range Rydberg molecules (ULRMs), which are bound states between a Rydberg atom and one or more ground-state atoms with bond lengths on the order of thousands of Bohr radii. The binding originates from multiple electron-atom scattering and leads to exotic oscillatory potential energy surfaces that reflect the probability density of the Rydberg electron. This unconventional binding mechanism opens fascinating possibilities to tune molecular properties via weak external fields, to study spin-resolved low-energy electron-atom scattering as well as to control and to probe interatomic forces in few- and many-body systems. Here, we provide an overview on recent theoretical and experimental progress in the field with an emphasis on polyatomic ULRMs, field control and spin interactions.     

Model Potential Calculations of Oscillator Strength Spectra of Rydberg Li Atoms in External Fields

By combining the B-spline basis set with model potential (B-spline + MP), we present oscillator strength spectra of Rydberg Li atoms in external fields. The photoabsorption spectra are analyzed. Over the narrow energy ranges considered in this paper, the structure of the spectra can be independent of the initial state chosen for a given atom. Our results are in good agreement with previous high-precision experimental data and theoretical calculations, where the R-matrix approach together with multichannel quantum defect theory (R-matrix+MQDT) was used. It is suggested that the present methods can be applied to deal with the oscillator strength spectra of Rydberg atoms in crossed electric and magnetic fields.     

Correlated photon emission from multiatom Rydberg dark States

We consider three-level atoms driven by two resonant light fields in a ladder scheme where the upper level is a highly excited Rydberg state. We show that the dipole-dipole interactions between Rydberg excited atoms prevents the formation of single particle dark states and leads to strongly correlated photon pairs from atoms separated by distances large compared to the emission wavelength. For a pair of atoms, this enables realization of an efficient photon-pair source with on average one pair every 30 μs.     

稀薄里德伯原子气体中的两体纠缠

量子纠缠是量子信息处理和量子计算中不可或缺的物理资源,制备稳定可操控的量子纠缠是研究的热点之一.里德伯原子具有不同于普通中性原子的特点,长寿命和原子之间强烈的偶极相互作用,使得它成为量子信息处理和量子计算的最优候选者.本文在稀薄里德伯原子气体中,构建了空间四面体排布的里德伯原子模型(空间等距的四个原子模型),通过数值求解主方程来研究两体纠缠和里德伯激发的稳态和瞬态动力学性质,发现偶极阻塞机制下的量子纠缠最大,其他满足反偶极阻塞条件的高阶激发引起的纠缠较小,进而从理论上分析了这两种机制下量子纠缠的物理实质.     

里德堡钠原子抗磁谱的模型势计算

用B样条基组展开方法结合模型势计算了里德堡钠原子抗磁谱和相应的振子强度谱.径向和角向均采用高阶B样条基组.计算结果与已有的R-矩阵和多通道量子亏损理论相结合(R-matrix MQDT)法及其他理论计算结果作了比较,几种理论结果在我们所研究的能区内符合得非常好.本文方法较R-ma-trix MQDT法简单,易于推广到交叉电磁场中里德堡原子的精确谱的计算中.     

Theoretical Investigation of Optical Bistability and Multistability Via Spontaneously Generated Coherence in Four-Level Rydberg Atoms

In this paper, we have suggested a configuration based on Rydberg atoms for adjusting properties of optical bistability (OB) and optical multistability (OM) via spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) in a unidirectional ring cavity. The Rydberg atoms consist of four energy levels interacts by a weak probe and a strong coupling fields, respectively. We have found that due to presence of SGC, threshold of OB and OM can be controlled when the strong light coupled the intermediate levels to the Rydberg state.

     

用B样条函数方法研究碱金属原子里德堡态在静电场中的性质

由原子的模型势出发,利用B样条函数方法研究了钾和铯原子的里德堡态在静电场中Stark态能级反交叉位置以及微波场中钾原子的多光子共振吸收谱.研究表明我们的结果与实验和其他理论结果符合得很好.     

Capacitive coupling of atomic systems to mesoscopic conductors

We describe a technique that enables a strong, coherent coupling between isolated neutral atoms and mesoscopic conductors. The coupling is achieved by exciting atoms trapped above the surface of a superconducting transmission line into Rydberg states with large electric dipole moments that induce voltage fluctuations in the transmission line. Using a mechanism analogous to cavity quantum electrodynamics, an atomic state can be transferred to a long-lived mode of the fluctuating voltage, atoms separated by millimeters can be entangled, or the quantum state of a solid-state device can be mapped onto atomic or photonic states.