Extended Hubbard models have proven to bear novel phases of matter, but their experimental realization remains challenging. In this work we propose to use bosonic quantum gases dressed with molecular bound states in Rydberg interaction potentials for the observation of these quantum states. We study the molecular Rabi coupling with respect to the effective principal quantum number and trapping frequency of the ground-state atoms for various molecular potentials of rubidium and potassium, and the hereby resulting dressed interaction strength. Additionally, we propose a two-color excitation scheme which significantly increases the dressed interaction and cancels otherwise-limiting ac Stark shifts. We study the various equilibrium phases of the corresponding extended Bose-Hubbard model by means of the cluster Gutzwiller approach and perform time evolution simulations via the Lindblad master equation. We find a supersolid phase by slowly ramping the molecular Rabi coupling of an initially prepared superfluid and discuss the role of dissipation.
Extended Hubbard models have proven to bear novel phases of matter, but their experimental realization remains challenging. In this work we propose to use bosonic quantum gases dressed with molecular bound states in Rydberg interaction potentials for the observation of these quantum states. We study the molecular Rabi coupling with respect to the effective principal quantum number and trapping frequency of the ground-state atoms for various molecular potentials of rubidium and potassium, and the hereby resulting dressed interaction strength. Additionally, we propose a two-color excitation scheme which significantly increases the dressed interaction and cancels otherwise-limiting ac Stark shifts. We study the various equilibrium phases of the corresponding extended Bose-Hubbard model by means of the cluster Gutzwiller approach and perform time evolution simulations via the Lindblad master equation. We find a supersolid phase by slowly ramping the molecular Rabi coupling of an initially prepared superfluid and discuss the role of dissipation.
Engineering quantum phases with spontaneously broken symmetries is a major goal of research in different fields. Trapped ultracold Rydberg-excited atoms in optical lattices are a promising platform for realizing quantum phases with broken lattice translational symmetry since they are interacting over distances larger than the lattice constant. Although numerous theoretical works on trapped Rydberg-excited gases have predicted such phases, in particular, density wave or supersolid phases, their experimental observation proves to be difficult due to challenges such as scattering processes and the limited experimentally achievable coupling strength. Most of these previous studies have focused on isotropically interacting gases dressed with Rydberg s states, while the effect of anisotropic interactions due to Rydberg-excited p states in trapped quantum gases remains much less investigated. Additionally, it was shown that the excitation scheme used to excite Rydberg p states possesses advantages regarding achievable coupling strengths and limitation of scattering processes compared to its s-state counterpart, which makes the investigation of Rydberg p-state dressed quantum gases even more interesting. In the present work we study the extended two-component Bose-Hubbard model, realized with a bosonic quantum gas with Rydberg-excited p states trapped in an optical lattice, within the Gutzwiller mean-field theory. We compute the ground-state phase diagram and investigate its different regimes. By comparison to the phase diagram of the isotropic case, we find the anisotropic interaction to be more advantageous for the observation of supersolid phases.
Rydberg-dressed ground state atoms are atoms with an electron off-resonantly excited to a very high energy state, i.e., a state of high principal quantum number n ≫ 1. This thesis investigates the quantum dynamics of interacting Rydberg-dressed ground state atoms trapped in several multi-well potential traps. Rydberg atoms are atoms with exaggerated properties. One of their most interesting properties is that they exhibit a strong and long-ranged interaction that can be tuned leading to a variety of different quantum behaviours. My work focuses on studying the effects of these interacting atoms when loaded in multi-well potential traps. Generally, multi-well systems are considered as the simplest example of a finite optical lattice structure. For this reason, this thesis covers three research topics that examine the effects of long-range interaction on Rydberg-dressed atoms trapped in several potential confinements. I begin, in the introduction, by discussing the theoretical background of relevance to this work. It starts with presenting the physics of Bose-Einstein condensate. Then, the fundamentals of the interaction between two-level atom and light are analytically studied. This study has the purpose of understanding both; the dressed interacting atoms and optical lattices. The definition, characteristics, and the nature of the interaction between Rydberg atoms are analysed afterwards. The second chapter examines the dynamics of an ensemble of interacting Rydberg- dressed atoms trapped in static, i.e., time-independent, multi-well potentials using a mean-field theoretical approach. I choose one-dimensional double- and triple-well in addition to a two-dimensional quadruple-well potentials. The time-dependent non-linear Gross-Pitaevskii equation is used to numerically explore the ensemble’s quantum dynamics. Solving the dynamical differential equations along with tuning the strength of the applied long-range interaction shows that the behaviour of non-interacting Rydberg-dressed atoms does not differ conceptually according to the geometry of the trapping potential. However, this changes when the interactions are switched on where the shape of the confinement leads to interesting outcomes especially in the non-linear interacting limit, such as macroscopic quantum self-trapping. After investigating an ensemble of interacting Rydberg-dressed atoms in static multi-well potential traps, the second research topic examines the dynamical evolution of these atoms when loaded in a finite optical lattice using the extended Bose-Hubbard model. In this chapter, the atoms ensemble is assumed to be in a superfluid state where I investigate both, the order parameter when the Rydberg excitation laser is applied and the interference pattern of the condensates in different dimensions. The study shows the emerging long-range interactions lead to a rapid collapse of the superfluid order parameter and in general allow only for partial revivals. In addition, the interference experiments can directly reveal the interaction between Rydberg-dressed atoms. In the fourth chapter, the dynamics of Rydberg-dressed atoms trapped in a dynamical, i.e., time-dependent, potential confinement is presented. The dynamical trap is constructed such that it begins as a harmonic oscillator and ends as a double- well potential. The analysis investigates an ensemble of contact-interacting atoms via the time-dependent non-linear GP equation.
Interacting ultracold atomic quantum gases provide an ideal test bed to study strongly correlated quantum matter. The interactions between atoms in such an ultracold quantum gas are typically short-ranged and well described by an effective contact potential. Introducing longer-range interactions promises the realization of novel quantum phases which are absent in systems with only short-range interactions. Trapped atoms, resonantly laser-coupled to highly excited, strongly interacting Rydberg states have been proposed as a versatile platform to realize such long-range interacting quantum matter. In a first experiment presented in this thesis, we combined the single-atom-sensitive local preparation and detection enabled by a quantum gas microscope to prepare and microscopically characterize an ensemble of rubidium-87 atoms trapped in an optical lattice in the regime of strong Rydberg blockade. There, we observe collectively enhanced optical coupling in an effective two-level system, the so-called “superatom”, and infer the presence of entanglement. Detuned optical coupling to Rydberg states, termed “Rydberg dressing”, has been proposed as an alternative approach to induce long-range interactions. Rather than directly exciting an atom to a Rydberg state, the properties of the latter are admixed to a ground state, which consequently acquires long-range interactions. In the context of this thesis, we have designed a laser system in the ultraviolet spectral range to admix Rydberg P-state character to the ground state of atoms in an optical lattice. In an emerging Ising quantum magnet, the presence of Rydberg-dressed interactions was demonstrated by an interferometric technique combined with spatially resolved spin correlation measurements. The theoretically predicted tunability of the isotropy and range of the interaction were confirmed experimentally. While these initial measurements exhibited unexpected dissipation, in a subsequent experiment in a one-dimensional spin chain this dissipation was overcome. We substantiated the improved coherence times by tracking the time evolution of the magnetization upon suddenly switching on interactions and observing coherent collapse and revival dynamics, one of the hallmarks of coherent quantum evolution. Our results establish Rydberg-dressed interactions in ultracold gases and pave the way to realize and study novel exotic quantum phases.
The competition of different length scales in quantum many-body systems leads to phenomena such as correlated dynamics and nonlocal order. To investigate such effects in an itinerant lattice-based quantum simulator, it has been proposed to introduce tunable extended-range interactions using off-resonant optical coupling to Rydberg states, known as Rydberg dressing. In this work, we use this approach to realize an effective one-dimensional extended Bose-Hubbard model. Harnessing our quantum gas microscope, we probe the correlated out-of-equilibrium dynamics of extended-range repulsively bound pairs and "hard rods." By contrast, operating near equilibrium, we observe density ordering when adiabatically turning on the extended-range interactions. Our results pave the way to realizing light-controlled extended-range interacting quantum many-body systems.
The strong interaction between Rydberg atoms can be used to control the strength and character of the interatomic interaction in ultracold gases by weakly dressing the atoms with a Rydberg state. Elaborate theoretical proposals for the realization of various complex phases and applications in quantum simulation exist. Also a simple model has been already developed that describes the basic idea of Rydberg dressing in a two-atom basis. However, an experimental realization has been elusive so far. We present a model describing the ground state of a Bose–Einstein condensate dressed with a Rydberg level based on the Rydberg blockade. This approach provides an intuitive understanding of the transition from pure two-body interaction to a regime of collective interactions. Furthermore it enables us to calculate the deformation of a three-dimensional sample under realistic experimental conditions in mean-field approximation. We compare full three-dimensional numerical calculations of the ground state to an analytic expression obtained within Thomas–Fermi approximation. Finally we discuss limitations and problems arising in an experimental realization of Rydberg dressing based on our experimental results and point out possible solutions for future approaches. Our work enables the reader to straight forwardly estimate the experimental feasibility of Rydberg dressing in realistic three-dimensional atomic samples.
We study the dynamics of bosonic atoms on a two-dimensional square lattice, where atomic interactions are long ranged with either a box or soft-core shape. The latter can be realized through laser dressing ground-state atoms to electronically excited Rydberg states. When the range of interactions is equal or larger than the lattice constant, the system is governed by an extended Bose-Hubbard model. We propose a quench process by varying the atomic hopping linearly across phase boundaries of the Mott insulator-supersolid and supersolid-superfluid phases. Starting from a Mott insulating state, the dynamical evolution of the superfluid order parameter exhibits a universal behavior at the early stage, largely independent of interactions. The dynamical evolution is significantly altered by strong, long-range interactions at later times. Particularly, we demonstrate that density wave excitation is important when the quench rate is small. Moreover, we show that the quench dynamics can be analyzed through time-of-flight images, i.e., measuring the momentum distribution and noise correlations.