An Introduction to Rydberg Atoms

Kashif Ammar Yasir, Wu-Ming Liu

Asaf Paris-Mandoki, Christoph Braun, Sebastian Hofferberth

This paper is a short introduction to Rydberg physics and quantum nonlinear optics using Rydberg atoms. It has been prepared as a compliment to a series of lectures delivered during the Latin American School of Physics “Marcos Moshinsky” 2017. We provide a short introduction to the properties of individual Rydberg atoms and discuss in detail how the interaction potential between Rydberg atom pairs is calculated. We then discuss how this interaction gives rise to the Rydberg blockade mechanism. With the aid of hallmark experiments in the field applications of the blockade for creating correlated quantum systems are discussed. Our aim is to give an overview of this exciting and rapidly evolving field. The interested reader is referred to original work and more comprehensive reviews and tutorials for further details on these subjects.

Marc Aßmann, M. Bayer

Abstract This topical review addresses how semiconductor systems may reveal scalable properties similar to those known from Rydberg atoms and in which ways they may be utilized for precision sensing and to realize huge long‐range interactions in semiconductor systems. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the field, it has a twofold purpose: First, it may serve as an introduction to Rydberg physics for semiconductor physicists unfamiliar with the topic. Second, it may also serve as an overview of the specific opportunities and challenges arising in semiconductor physics for researchers who are familiar with Rydberg physics of cold atom gases, but new to the field of semiconductor physics. The review starts with an introduction on the general properties of excitons in semiconductors. Then, the material system Cu 2 O, which is the best developed platform for semiconductor Rydberg physics at the moment, is discussed in detail.

B. B. Zelener, B. V. Zelener, E.B. Zelener

Charles S. Adams, Jonathan D. Pritchard, James P. Shaffer

This topical review addresses how Rydberg atoms can serve as building blocks for emerging quantum technologies. Whereas the fabrication of large numbers of artificial quantum systems with the uniformity required for the most attractive applications is difficult if not impossible, atoms provide stable quantum systems which, for the same species and isotope, are all identical. Whilst atomic ground-states provide scalable quantum objects, their applications are limited by the range over which their properties can be varied. In contrast, Rydberg atoms offer strong and controllable atomic interactions that can be tuned by selecting states with different principal quantum number or orbital angular momentum. In addition Rydberg atoms are comparatively long-lived, and the large number of available energy levels and their separations allow coupling to electromagnetic fields spanning over 6 orders of magnitude in frequency. These features make Rydberg atoms highly desirable for developing new quantum technologies. After giving a brief introduction to how the properties of Rydberg atoms can be tuned, we give several examples of current areas where the unique advantages of Rydberg atom systems are being exploited to enable new applications in quantum computing, electromagnetic field sensing, and quantum optics.

HERBERT WALTHER