A time crystal is an exotic phase of matter where time-translational symmetry is broken; this phase differs from the spatial symmetry breaking induced in crystals in space. Lots of experiments report the transition from a thermal equilibrium phase to time crystal phase. However, there is no experimental method to probe the bifurcation effect of distinct time crystals in quantum many-body systems. Here, in a driven and dissipative many-body Rydberg atom system, we observe multiple continuous dissipative time crystals and emergence of more complex temporal symmetries beyond the single time crystal phase. Bifurcation of time crystals in strongly interacting Rydberg atoms is observed; the process manifests as a transition from a time crystal state of long temporal order to one of short temporal order, or vice versa. By manipulating the driving field parameters, we observe the time crystal's bistability and a hysteresis loop. These investigations indicate new possibilities for control and manipulation of the temporal symmetries of non-equilibrium systems.
A time crystal is an exotic phase of matter where time-translational symmetry is broken; this phase differs from the spatial symmetry breaking induced in crystals in space. Lots of experiments report the transition from a thermal equilibrium phase to time crystal phase. However, there is no experimental method to probe the bifurcation effect of distinct time crystals in quantum many-body systems. Here, in a driven and dissipative many-body Rydberg atom system, we observe multiple continuous dissipative time crystals and emergence of more complex temporal symmetries beyond the single time crystal phase. Bifurcation of time crystals in strongly interacting Rydberg atoms is observed; the process manifests as a transition from a time crystal state of long temporal order to one of short temporal order, or vice versa. By manipulating the driving field parameters, we observe the time crystal's bistability and a hysteresis loop. These investigations indicate new possibilities for control and manipulation of the temporal symmetries of non-equilibrium systems.
A time crystal is an exotic phase of matter where time-translational symmetry is broken; this phase differs from the spatial symmetry breaking induced in conventional crystals. Lots of experiments report the transition from a thermal equilibrium phase to a time crystal phase. However, there is no experimental method to probe the bifurcation effect of distinct continuous time crystals in quantum many-body systems. Here, in a driven and dissipative many-body Rydberg atom system, we observe multiple continuous dissipative time crystals and emergence of more complex temporal symmetries beyond the single time crystal phase. Bifurcation of time crystals in strongly interacting Rydberg atoms is observed; the process manifests as a transition from a time crystal of long periodicity to a time crystal of short periodicity, or vice versa. By manipulating the driving field parameters, we observe the time crystal’s bistability and a hysteresis loop. These investigations indicate new possibilities for control and manipulation of the temporal symmetries of non-equilibrium systems. The time crystal is an exotic phase of matter where time-translational symmetry is broken. Here, the authors observe multiple continuous dissipative time crystals and bifurcation of time crystals in driven and dissipative Rydberg atomic gas.
Time crystals, as temporal analogs of space crystals, manifest as stable and periodic behavior that breaks time translation symmetry. In an open quantum system, many-body interaction subjected to dissipation allows one to develop the time crystalline order in an unprecedented way, as refer to dissipative time crystals. Here we report the observation of multiple time crystals in the continuously driven-dissipative and strongly interacting Rydberg thermal gases, in which continuous time crystals, sub-harmonic time crystals and high-harmonic time crystals are observed in the same system by manipulating the Rydberg excitation. Our work provides new ways to explore the non-equilibrium phases of matter in open systems. Such time crystals with persistent oscillation rooted in emergent quantum correlations, may emerge as a ubiquitous tool in quantum metrology, for instance, continuous sensing and parameter estimation surpassing the standard quantum limit. The authors observed multiple time crystals in the continuously driven-dissipative and strongly interacting Rydberg thermal gases. This discovery may benefit the field of quantum metrology, such as continuous sensing, potentially surpassing the standard quantum limit, and time crystalline order as a frequency standard.
Time crystals, as temporal analogs of space crystals, manifest as stable and periodic behavior that breaks time translation symmetry. In an open quantum system, many-body interaction subjected to dissipation allows one to develop the time crystalline order in an unprecedented way, as refer to dissipative time crystals. Here we report the observation of multiple time crystals in the continuously driven-dissipative and strongly interacting Rydberg thermal gases, in which continuous time crystals, sub-harmonic time crystals, and high-harmonic time crystals are observed in the same system by manipulating the Rydberg excitation. Our work provides new ways to explore the nonequilibrium phases of matter in open systems. Such time crystals with persistent oscillation rooted in emergent quantum correlations, may emerge as a ubiquitous tool in quantum metrology, for instance, continuous sensing and parameter estimation surpassing the standard quantum limit.
Discrete time quasicrystals (DTQC) constitute a class of non-equilibrium matter characterized by temporal order without strict periodicity, in contrast to conventional time crystals. Investigating these phenomena is essential for expanding our fundamental understanding of far-from-equilibrium quantum matter and spontaneous symmetry breaking beyond periodic regimes. Here, we experimentally observe a DTQC in a driven-dissipative ensemble of strongly interacting Rydberg atoms, displaying non-equilibrium dynamical response with a different finite Abelian group symmetry Zm×Zn. By applying a quasiperiodic drive using a dual-frequency drive with incommensurate frequencies, we demonstrate that the system exhibits a robust subharmonic response at multiple incommensurate frequencies, signifying the emergence of a DTQC phase. We map the full phase diagram of the system, which includes the DTQC phase, and demonstrate its rigidity against perturbations in both RF field intensity and laser detuning. Moreover, we observe a cyclic group symmetry effect that constrains the construction of Z2×Z3-symmetric DTQC. This work establishes a versatile platform for studying non-equilibrium phases of matter and provides insights into the dynamics of time-translation symmetry breaking in quantum many-body systems. Time-crystal phases have raised both theoretical and experimental interest across various platforms. Here, the authors report the observation of a discrete time-quasicrystal in a driven-dissipative ensemble of interacting Rydberg atoms, advancing the understanding of symmetry breaking in these systems.
The pursuit of unprecedented sensitivity in quantum enhanced metrology has spurred interest in non-equilibrium quantum phases of matter and their symmetry breaking. In particular, criticality-enhanced metrology through time-translation symmetry breaking in many-body systems, a distinct paradigm compared to spatial symmetry breaking, is a field still in its infancy. Here, we have investigated the enhanced sensing at the boundary of a continuous time-crystal (CTC) phase in a driven Rydberg atomic gas. By mapping the full phase diagram, we identify the parameter-dependent phase boundary where the time-translation symmetry is broken. This allows us to use a single setup for measuring multiple parameters, in particular frequency and amplitude of a microwave field. By increasing the microwave field amplitude, we first observe a phase transition from a thermal phase to a CTC phase, followed by a second transition into a distinct CTC state, characterized by a different oscillation frequency. Furthermore, we reveal the precise relationship between the CTC phase boundary and the scanning rate, displaying enhanced precision beyond the Standard Quantum Limit. This work not only provides a promising paradigm rooted in the critical properties of time crystals, but also advances a method for multi-parameter sensing in non-equilibrium quantum phases.
Non-equilibrium Rydberg gases exhibit exotic many-body phases stabilized by the interplay of coherent interactions and dissipation. Strong Rydberg interactions drive sustained limit cycle oscillations, whose robustness, long-range temporal order, and spontaneous time-translation symmetry breaking establish a dissipative time crystal (DTC). Collective self-entrainment in driven ensembles leads to global synchronization and a dominant oscillation frequency. Here, injection locking of a Rydberg DTC is demonstrated using a radio-frequency (RF) electric field that gradually pulls the intrinsic oscillation toward the injected frequency. Above a critical threshold, full synchronization occurs, with the locking bandwidth scaling linearly with RF amplitude. This includes synchronization of higher-order harmonics, revealing entrainment of the system’s nonlinear temporal dynamics. The phenomenon parallels injection locking in classical nonlinear systems, but emerges here in a strongly interacting quantum medium. This approach establishes a new method for stabilizing and controlling time-crystalline temporal order, with applications in precision sensing, quantum metrology, and timekeeping. Non-equilibrium Rydberg gases exhibit unique many-body phases arising from the interplay of coherent interactions and dissipation, yet controlling their temporal order remains challenging. This work demonstrates injection locking of a Rydberg dissipative time crystal using a radio-frequency electric field, achieving full synchronization and revealing dynamical behavior relevant to precision sensing and quantum metrology.