Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE

Problem of detection of Rydberg atoms and quantum information processing

Denis B. Tretyakov, I. I. Ryabtsev, Ilya I. Beterov, Vasily M. Entin

Published Mar 3, 2008• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

We have developed a simple theoretical model describing multi-atom signals that could be measured in experiments on resonant energy transfers in an ensemble of a few Rydberg atoms. We have shown that an efficiency of the selective field-ionization detector, which is less than 1, leads to the mixing up of the spectra of the resonant energy transfer registered for various numbers of detected Rydberg atoms. This may impede the possible observations of dipole blockade or coherent two-atom interaction required to perform basic quantum gates. The formulae are presented, which help to estimate an actual mean Rydberg atom number in an excitation volume per one exciting laser pulse at a given detection efficiency. We have also found that a measurement of relationship of the amplitudes of resonances observed in the one- and two-atom signals provides a straightforward determination of the absolute detection efficiency and actual mean Rydberg atom number. This novel method is advantageous as it is independent of the specific experimental conditions. We also performed a testing experiment on the resonant energy transfers in a small excitation volume of the velocity selected Na atomic beam. The observed one- and two-atom resonances were analyzed and compared with the theoretical predictions. A good agreement between experiment and theory in the width and amplitudes of the resonances has confirmed the validity of simple approximations used in the developed theoretical model.

DOI
10.1117/12.801914

Related papers

Effect of finite detection efficiency on the observation of the dipole-dipole interaction of a few Rydberg atoms

I. I. Ryabtsev, Denis B. Tretyakov, Ilya I. Beterov +1 more

We have developed a simple analytical model describing multiatom signals that are measured in experiments on dipole-dipole interaction at resonant collisions of a few Rydberg atoms. It has been shown that finite efficiency of the selective field-ionization detector leads to the mixing up of the spectra of resonant collisions registered for various numbers of Rydberg atoms. The formulas which help to estimate an appropriate mean Rydberg atom number for a given detection efficiency are presented. We have found that a measurement of the relation between the amplitudes of collisional resonances observed in the one- and two-atom signals provides a straightforward determination of the absolute detection efficiency and mean Rydberg atom number. We also performed a testing experiment on resonant collisions in a small excitation volume of a sodium atomic beam. The resonances observed for 1--4 detected Rydberg atoms have been analyzed and compared with theory.

arXiv:quant-ph/0701153•Physical Review A•Jul 31, 2007•23 citations

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

E. A. Yakshina, D. B. Tretyakov, V. M. Entin +2 more

Abstract 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.

arXiv:2004.09933•Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics•Feb 1, 2020•9 citations

Resonant collisions of K Rydberg atoms

Michael J. Renn, Wayne A. Anderson, James Veale +1 more

We have studied the collisional energy transfer process K (ns) +K (n-2) d {yields} K (np) +K (n-1) p which is tuned into resonance with an applied static electric field. The initial Rydberg states are excited stepwise with two dye laser pulses. The resonant energy transfer is detected by selectively field ionizing the final K(np) state as the static field is swept over many laser shots. Due to fine structure splitting of the d and p levels 45 resonances are energetically allowed at n{sub s}=25. The actual number of resonances that are observed depends on the polarization of the laser light, the dipole-dipole selection rules, and the n state excited. Above n{sub s}=29 all resonances are energically forbidden. We have measured the position of the resonances in electric field from n{sub s}=25 to n{sub s}=29 and found them to be in good agreement with calculated positions.

Bulletin of the American Physical Society•May 1, 1993•0 citations

Study of coherent properties of Rydberg-atom systems.

Tara Cubel Liebisch

Atoms excited into states of high principal quantum number, Rydberg atoms, have exaggerated properties such as large size and dipole moments, long lifetimes, and high polarizabilities. These properties can be used to realize a Rydberg excitation blockade in narrow-band photo-excitation (∼ 1 MHz bandwidth) of laser-cooled and trapped atoms. Under ideal conditions, the blockade phenomenon leads to an inhibition of more than one Rydberg excitation in dense samples of atoms. The blockade is useful in a number of applications including quantum information processing, quantum cryptography, and atomic clocks. In this thesis, I discuss experimental investigations of the dependence of the blockade effectiveness on the principal quantum number of the excited Rydberg level, and the Rydberg excitation laser's detuning and intensity. Rydberg-atom counting statistics is used as a technique for measuring the effectiveness of the Rydberg blockade. An important aspect in experiments on the blockade effect is the efficiency of the photo-excitation process used for Rydberg-atom generation. Therefore, the described work deals, in part, with methods of coherent excitation of atoms into and out of Rydberg states. I show that STIRAP (stimulated Raman adiabatic passage) allows us to transfer atoms into Rydberg levels with about 70% excitation efficiency, under the constraints of the present experiment. It is also seen that the excitation efficiency is insensitive to variations in laser pulse intensity and width, as expected for STIRAP. The experimental techniques used to measure the blockade effect using counting statistics and to achieve coherent excitation into Rydberg states, are important for future studies of small atomic systems blockaded to one Rydberg excitation.

•Jan 1, 2007•0 citations

State-selective all-optical detection of Rydberg atoms

Florian Karlewski, Markus Mack, Jens Grimmel +2 more

We present an all-optical protocol for detecting population in a selected Rydberg state of alkali-metal atoms. The detection scheme is based on the interaction of an ensemble of ultracold atoms with two laser pulses: one weak probe pulse which is resonant with the transition between the ground state and the first excited state, and a pulse with high intensity which couples the first excited state to the selected Rydberg state. We show that by monitoring the absorption signal of the probe laser over time, one can deduce the initial population of the Rydberg state. Furthermore, it is shown that---for suitable experimental conditions---the dynamical absorption curve contains information on the initial coherence between the ground state and the selected Rydberg state. We present the results of a proof-of-principle measurement performed on a cold gas of $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms. The method is expected to find application in quantum computing protocols based on Rydberg atoms.

arXiv:1502.03964•Physical Review A•Apr 29, 2015•13 citations

Applicability of Rydberg atoms to quantum computers

Igor I Ryabtsev, Denis B Tretyakov, Ilya I Beterov

Applicability of Rydberg atoms to quantum computers is examined from experimental point of view. In many theoretical proposals appeared recently, excitation of atoms into highly excited Rydberg states was considered as a way to achieve quantum entanglement in cold atomic ensembles via dipole-dipole interaction that could be strong for Rydberg atoms. Appropriate conditions to realize a conditional quantum phase gate have been analyzed. We also present the results of modeling experiments on microwave spectroscopy of single- and multi-atom excitations at the one-photon 37S-37P and two-photon 37S-38S transitions in an ensemble of a few sodium Rydberg atoms. The microwave spectra were investigated for various final states of the ensemble initially prepared in its ground state. The quantum NOT operation with single atoms was found to be affected by the Doppler effect and fluctuations of the microwave field. The spectrum of full excitation of several Rydberg atoms was much narrower than that of a single atom. This effect might be useful for the high-resolution spectroscopy. The results may be also applied to the studies on collective laser excitation of ground-state atoms aiming to realize quantum gates.

arXiv:quant-ph/0402006•Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Jan 6, 2005•54 citations
We have developed a simple theoretical model describing multi-atom signals that could be measured in experiments on resonant energy transfers in an ensemble of a few Rydberg atoms. We have shown that an efficiency of the selective field-ionization detector, which is less than 1, leads to the mixing up of the spectra of the resonant energy transfer registered for various numbers of detected Rydberg atoms. This may impede the possible observations of dipole blockade or coherent two-atom interaction required to perform basic quantum gates. The formulae are presented, which help to estimate an actual mean Rydberg atom number in an excitation volume per one exciting laser pulse at a given detection efficiency. We have also found that a measurement of relationship of the amplitudes of resonances observed in the one- and two-atom signals provides a straightforward determination of the absolute detection efficiency and actual mean Rydberg atom number. This novel method is advantageous as it is independent of the specific experimental conditions. We also performed a testing experiment on the resonant energy transfers in a small excitation volume of the velocity selected Na atomic beam. The observed one- and two-atom resonances were analyzed and compared with the theoretical predictions. A good agreement between experiment and theory in the width and amplitudes of the resonances has confirmed the validity of simple approximations used in the developed theoretical model.
We have developed a simple analytical model describing multiatom signals that are measured in experiments on dipole-dipole interaction at resonant collisions of a few Rydberg atoms. It has been shown that finite efficiency of the selective field-ionization detector leads to the mixing up of the spectra of resonant collisions registered for various numbers of Rydberg atoms. The formulas which help to estimate an appropriate mean Rydberg atom number for a given detection efficiency are presented. We have found that a measurement of the relation between the amplitudes of collisional resonances observed in the one- and two-atom signals provides a straightforward determination of the absolute detection efficiency and mean Rydberg atom number. We also performed a testing experiment on resonant collisions in a small excitation volume of a sodium atomic beam. The resonances observed for 1--4 detected Rydberg atoms have been analyzed and compared with theory.
Abstract 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.
We have studied the collisional energy transfer process K (ns) +K (n-2) d {yields} K (np) +K (n-1) p which is tuned into resonance with an applied static electric field. The initial Rydberg states are excited stepwise with two dye laser pulses. The resonant energy transfer is detected by selectively field ionizing the final K(np) state as the static field is swept over many laser shots. Due to fine structure splitting of the d and p levels 45 resonances are energetically allowed at n{sub s}=25. The actual number of resonances that are observed depends on the polarization of the laser light, the dipole-dipole selection rules, and the n state excited. Above n{sub s}=29 all resonances are energically forbidden. We have measured the position of the resonances in electric field from n{sub s}=25 to n{sub s}=29 and found them to be in good agreement with calculated positions.
Atoms excited into states of high principal quantum number, Rydberg atoms, have exaggerated properties such as large size and dipole moments, long lifetimes, and high polarizabilities. These properties can be used to realize a Rydberg excitation blockade in narrow-band photo-excitation (∼ 1 MHz bandwidth) of laser-cooled and trapped atoms. Under ideal conditions, the blockade phenomenon leads to an inhibition of more than one Rydberg excitation in dense samples of atoms. The blockade is useful in a number of applications including quantum information processing, quantum cryptography, and atomic clocks. In this thesis, I discuss experimental investigations of the dependence of the blockade effectiveness on the principal quantum number of the excited Rydberg level, and the Rydberg excitation laser's detuning and intensity. Rydberg-atom counting statistics is used as a technique for measuring the effectiveness of the Rydberg blockade. An important aspect in experiments on the blockade effect is the efficiency of the photo-excitation process used for Rydberg-atom generation. Therefore, the described work deals, in part, with methods of coherent excitation of atoms into and out of Rydberg states. I show that STIRAP (stimulated Raman adiabatic passage) allows us to transfer atoms into Rydberg levels with about 70% excitation efficiency, under the constraints of the present experiment. It is also seen that the excitation efficiency is insensitive to variations in laser pulse intensity and width, as expected for STIRAP. The experimental techniques used to measure the blockade effect using counting statistics and to achieve coherent excitation into Rydberg states, are important for future studies of small atomic systems blockaded to one Rydberg excitation.
We present an all-optical protocol for detecting population in a selected Rydberg state of alkali-metal atoms. The detection scheme is based on the interaction of an ensemble of ultracold atoms with two laser pulses: one weak probe pulse which is resonant with the transition between the ground state and the first excited state, and a pulse with high intensity which couples the first excited state to the selected Rydberg state. We show that by monitoring the absorption signal of the probe laser over time, one can deduce the initial population of the Rydberg state. Furthermore, it is shown that---for suitable experimental conditions---the dynamical absorption curve contains information on the initial coherence between the ground state and the selected Rydberg state. We present the results of a proof-of-principle measurement performed on a cold gas of 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb atoms. The method is expected to find application in quantum computing protocols based on Rydberg atoms.
Applicability of Rydberg atoms to quantum computers is examined from experimental point of view. In many theoretical proposals appeared recently, excitation of atoms into highly excited Rydberg states was considered as a way to achieve quantum entanglement in cold atomic ensembles via dipole-dipole interaction that could be strong for Rydberg atoms. Appropriate conditions to realize a conditional quantum phase gate have been analyzed. We also present the results of modeling experiments on microwave spectroscopy of single- and multi-atom excitations at the one-photon 37S-37P and two-photon 37S-38S transitions in an ensemble of a few sodium Rydberg atoms. The microwave spectra were investigated for various final states of the ensemble initially prepared in its ground state. The quantum NOT operation with single atoms was found to be affected by the Doppler effect and fluctuations of the microwave field. The spectrum of full excitation of several Rydberg atoms was much narrower than that of a single atom. This effect might be useful for the high-resolution spectroscopy. The results may be also applied to the studies on collective laser excitation of ground-state atoms aiming to realize quantum gates.