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

Physical Review A

Quantum interferometry of degenerate Rydberg states using a temporary dc Stark splitting

I. I. Ryabtsev, Igor M. Beterov

Published May 17, 2000• 15 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A method for quantum interferometry and phase control of degenerate Rydberg states has been proposed and realized experimentally. Phase control was carried out by a pulse of a weak dc electric field which caused a Stark splitting of degenerate Rydberg sublevels for a short time. A strong interference dependence of the probability of the microwave transition ${37P}_{3/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{37S}_{1/2}$ in sodium Rydberg atoms on a phase difference between the Stark sublevels of the ${37P}_{3/2}$ state has been detected. Changes in the probability were measured directly by a pulsed resonant microwave radiation applied after the electric-field pulse. Records of the quantum interference signals and Stark spectra of the microwave transition are presented and discussed. An influence of the laboratory magnetic field has been analyzed.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.61.063414

Related papers

Stark-switching technique for fast quantum gates in Rydberg atoms

I. I. Ryabtsev, Denis B. Tretyakov, Ilya I. Beterov

An experiment on Ramsey interferometry of the 37S 1/2 → 37P 1/2 microwave transition in sodium Rydberg atoms has been performed. Interaction of Rydberg atoms with a cw microwave radiation was effectively controlled by a pulse of weak (<1 V cm −1 ) electric field, that manipulated the transition frequency near 70 050 MHz. The pulse detuned the microwave radiation from exact resonance, and induced additional phases to the wavefunctions of Rydberg states due to the quadratic Stark shifts. As a result, the Ramsey fringes were observable both on scanning the frequency of the microwave field and on scanning the strength of the electric field pulse. The experiment confirmed that this Stark-switching technique provides a fast and effective control of the atom–light interactions, and preserves the atomic coherence. Possible applications of this technique to experiments on quantum computers are discussed.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Jan 8, 2003•19 citations

Microwave Hanle effect in Rydberg atoms

I. I. Ryabtsev, Denis B. Tretyakov

A microwave analog of the interference Hanle effect has been studied in sodium Rydberg atoms. Spontaneous emission of the microwave transition ${37P}_{3/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{37S}_{1/2}$ at 70.166 GHz was replaced by an induced transition from a pulsed microwave source. A dependence of population of the ${37S}_{1/2}$ state on the magnetic field was recorded in various conditions. Good agreement with the theoretical calculations has been found. The widths and shapes of observed resonances were defined by the spectral widths of the pulsed microwave radiation and parameters of laser excitation of the initial ${37P}_{3/2}$ state. The quantum beats of magnetic sublevels appeared in the signals when the polarization of exciting laser emission was orthogonal to the magnetic field, and the interference occurred in the scheme of transitions similar to the Mach-Zehnder optical interferometer.

Physical Review A•Aug 13, 2001•2 citations

Matter-wave interferometry with helium atoms in low- l Rydberg states

J. D. R. Tommey, S. D. Hogan

Electric Rydberg-atom interferometry has been performed with helium atoms in coherent superpositions of the $1s56s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}S_{1}$ and $1s57s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}S_{1}$ Rydberg levels. The experiments were carried out in a longitudinal geometry with the atoms traveling at 2000 m/s in pulsed supersonic beams. After laser photoexcitation from the $1s2s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}S_{1}$ metastable level, coherent manipulation of the population of the Rydberg states was achieved using sequences of microwave pulses. The difference in the static electric dipole polarizabilities of the $1s56s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}S_{1}$ and $1s57s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}S_{1}$ levels allowed superpositions of external momentum states to be generated when inhomogeneous electric fields were used to exerted forces on the atoms prepared in superpositions of these internal states. Interference fringes, with contributions arising from the spatial separation of these Rydberg-atom wave packets in the direction of propagation of the atomic beam, were identified through changes in the internal-state populations as the magnitudes and durations of the time-dependent electric-field gradient pulses were adjusted. The maximal displacement of the atomic wave packets for which interference fringes were observed was $\ensuremath{\sim}0.75\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$, limited by the longitudinal velocity spread in the atomic beam and the characteristics of the inhomogeneous electric-field distribution in the apparatus. The experimental data are in good quantitative agreement with the results of numerical calculations of the time evolution of the atomic states under the experimental conditions.

Physical Review A•Sep 3, 2021•8 citations

Microwave spectroscopy of the Zeeman effect in Rydberg atoms of sodium

I. I. Ryabtsev, Denis B. Tretyakov

Experimental results of studying the spectrum of the microwave 37 P -37 S transition of Rydberg sodium atoms in a weak magnetic field (≤7 G) are reported. The populations of the Rydberg states were measured using the method of selective ionization with a pulsed electric field. When the magnetic field was parallel to the ionizing electric field, a good agreement between the calculated and experimental spectral shapes was observed, making it possible to determine the unknown polarization of the microwave radiation. In the case of the orthogonal configuration of the fields, the resonance structure was suppressed in the field ionization signals due to the strong influence of the magnetic field on the electron trajectories in the detection system.

Optics and Spectroscopy•Feb 1, 2001•1 citation

Rydberg-Atom Interferometry

James Palmer

Matter-wave interferometry has many possible uses, ranging from tests of funda- mental physics to applications in sensing. In order to achieve this interferometry, quantum superpositions of spatially-separated components need to be generated. There are several possible methods to accomplish this using Rydberg atoms; this thesis presents the experimental investigation of two of these. Both of these methods use inhomogeneous electric fields to spatially split beams of Rydberg atoms. In the first method, field distributions were generated above two-dimensional electrode structures and used to transversely split beams of helium Rydberg atoms into pairs of components spatially separated by up to 15.6 mm. Effects of amplitude modulation of the electric fields of this beam splitter were shown to cause particle losses through transitions into unconfined Rydberg-Stark states. This led to further studies of the depolarisation of Rydberg-Stark states in radio-frequency electric fields. Through this work it is shown that both ‘resonant’ and ‘non-resonant’ broadband modulation with amplitudes on the order of 10 mV·cm⁻¹ are sufficient to cause significant depolarisation of initially prepared quantum states on a timescale of 5 μs in a static offset electric field of 0.43 V·cm⁻¹. In a second class of experiments, matter-wave interferometry has been per- formed with helium atoms in high Rydberg states. In this work a series of mi- crowave and electric field gradient pulses were used to create a spatial separation between two components of a coherent superposition of states, while ensuring that the momenta of these components were equal at the end of the process to enable matter-wave interference to be observed. For the Rydberg states used, the spatial extent of the Rydberg electron wavefunction was ∼ 320 nm and displacements of up to 150 pm were observed between the pairs of matter-wave components at the end of the interferometry sequences.

•Mar 28, 2020•0 citations

Quantum interference in half-cycle microwave multiphoton transitions

C. W. S. Conover, Julia H. Rentz

We observe microwave multiphoton transitions in Rydberg states of Na using intense subnanosecond half-cycle electric field pulses in a microwave transmission line. Transition probabilities from ns and nd states, ranging in principal quantum number from 18 to 40, to nearby nl (l\ensuremath{\geqslant}2) states are measured both as a function of pulse amplitude and the delay between two identical temporally spaced pulses. The transition rate depends strongly on both the pulse amplitude and the temporal delay between the two pulses. Nearly 100% of the population can be transferred for certain amplitudes of the half-cycle pulse. Transition probabilities are successfully described both with a dynamic Stark model and direct numerical integration of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. Ramsey interference between two delayed pulses is observed that shows strong-field behavior. The two-pulse experiment is a technique for high-order multiphoton spectroscopy without concern for ac Stark shifts.

Physical Review A•May 1, 1997•7 citations
A method for quantum interferometry and phase control of degenerate Rydberg states has been proposed and realized experimentally. Phase control was carried out by a pulse of a weak dc electric field which caused a Stark splitting of degenerate Rydberg sublevels for a short time. A strong interference dependence of the probability of the microwave transition 37P3/2\ensuremath→37S1/2{37P}_{3/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{37S}_{1/2}37P3/2​\ensuremath→37S1/2​ in sodium Rydberg atoms on a phase difference between the Stark sublevels of the 37P3/2{37P}_{3/2}37P3/2​ state has been detected. Changes in the probability were measured directly by a pulsed resonant microwave radiation applied after the electric-field pulse. Records of the quantum interference signals and Stark spectra of the microwave transition are presented and discussed. An influence of the laboratory magnetic field has been analyzed.
An experiment on Ramsey interferometry of the 37S 1/2 → 37P 1/2 microwave transition in sodium Rydberg atoms has been performed. Interaction of Rydberg atoms with a cw microwave radiation was effectively controlled by a pulse of weak (<1 V cm −1 ) electric field, that manipulated the transition frequency near 70 050 MHz. The pulse detuned the microwave radiation from exact resonance, and induced additional phases to the wavefunctions of Rydberg states due to the quadratic Stark shifts. As a result, the Ramsey fringes were observable both on scanning the frequency of the microwave field and on scanning the strength of the electric field pulse. The experiment confirmed that this Stark-switching technique provides a fast and effective control of the atom–light interactions, and preserves the atomic coherence. Possible applications of this technique to experiments on quantum computers are discussed.
A microwave analog of the interference Hanle effect has been studied in sodium Rydberg atoms. Spontaneous emission of the microwave transition ${37P}_{3/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{37S}_{1/2}$ at 70.166 GHz was replaced by an induced transition from a pulsed microwave source. A dependence of population of the 37S1/2{37S}_{1/2}37S1/2​ state on the magnetic field was recorded in various conditions. Good agreement with the theoretical calculations has been found. The widths and shapes of observed resonances were defined by the spectral widths of the pulsed microwave radiation and parameters of laser excitation of the initial 37P3/2{37P}_{3/2}37P3/2​ state. The quantum beats of magnetic sublevels appeared in the signals when the polarization of exciting laser emission was orthogonal to the magnetic field, and the interference occurred in the scheme of transitions similar to the Mach-Zehnder optical interferometer.
Electric Rydberg-atom interferometry has been performed with helium atoms in coherent superpositions of the 1s56s3S11s56s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}S_{1}1s56s3S1​ and 1s57s3S11s57s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}S_{1}1s57s3S1​ Rydberg levels. The experiments were carried out in a longitudinal geometry with the atoms traveling at 2000 m/s in pulsed supersonic beams. After laser photoexcitation from the 1s2s3S11s2s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}S_{1}1s2s3S1​ metastable level, coherent manipulation of the population of the Rydberg states was achieved using sequences of microwave pulses. The difference in the static electric dipole polarizabilities of the 1s56s3S11s56s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}S_{1}1s56s3S1​ and 1s57s3S11s57s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}S_{1}1s57s3S1​ levels allowed superpositions of external momentum states to be generated when inhomogeneous electric fields were used to exerted forces on the atoms prepared in superpositions of these internal states. Interference fringes, with contributions arising from the spatial separation of these Rydberg-atom wave packets in the direction of propagation of the atomic beam, were identified through changes in the internal-state populations as the magnitudes and durations of the time-dependent electric-field gradient pulses were adjusted. The maximal displacement of the atomic wave packets for which interference fringes were observed was $\ensuremath{\sim}0.75\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$, limited by the longitudinal velocity spread in the atomic beam and the characteristics of the inhomogeneous electric-field distribution in the apparatus. The experimental data are in good quantitative agreement with the results of numerical calculations of the time evolution of the atomic states under the experimental conditions.
Experimental results of studying the spectrum of the microwave 37 P -37 S transition of Rydberg sodium atoms in a weak magnetic field (≤7 G) are reported. The populations of the Rydberg states were measured using the method of selective ionization with a pulsed electric field. When the magnetic field was parallel to the ionizing electric field, a good agreement between the calculated and experimental spectral shapes was observed, making it possible to determine the unknown polarization of the microwave radiation. In the case of the orthogonal configuration of the fields, the resonance structure was suppressed in the field ionization signals due to the strong influence of the magnetic field on the electron trajectories in the detection system.
Matter-wave interferometry has many possible uses, ranging from tests of funda- mental physics to applications in sensing. In order to achieve this interferometry, quantum superpositions of spatially-separated components need to be generated. There are several possible methods to accomplish this using Rydberg atoms; this thesis presents the experimental investigation of two of these. Both of these methods use inhomogeneous electric fields to spatially split beams of Rydberg atoms. In the first method, field distributions were generated above two-dimensional electrode structures and used to transversely split beams of helium Rydberg atoms into pairs of components spatially separated by up to 15.6 mm. Effects of amplitude modulation of the electric fields of this beam splitter were shown to cause particle losses through transitions into unconfined Rydberg-Stark states. This led to further studies of the depolarisation of Rydberg-Stark states in radio-frequency electric fields. Through this work it is shown that both ‘resonant’ and ‘non-resonant’ broadband modulation with amplitudes on the order of 10 mV·cm⁻¹ are sufficient to cause significant depolarisation of initially prepared quantum states on a timescale of 5 μs in a static offset electric field of 0.43 V·cm⁻¹. In a second class of experiments, matter-wave interferometry has been per- formed with helium atoms in high Rydberg states. In this work a series of mi- crowave and electric field gradient pulses were used to create a spatial separation between two components of a coherent superposition of states, while ensuring that the momenta of these components were equal at the end of the process to enable matter-wave interference to be observed. For the Rydberg states used, the spatial extent of the Rydberg electron wavefunction was ∼ 320 nm and displacements of up to 150 pm were observed between the pairs of matter-wave components at the end of the interferometry sequences.
We observe microwave multiphoton transitions in Rydberg states of Na using intense subnanosecond half-cycle electric field pulses in a microwave transmission line. Transition probabilities from ns and nd states, ranging in principal quantum number from 18 to 40, to nearby nl (l\ensuremath{\geqslant}2) states are measured both as a function of pulse amplitude and the delay between two identical temporally spaced pulses. The transition rate depends strongly on both the pulse amplitude and the temporal delay between the two pulses. Nearly 100% of the population can be transferred for certain amplitudes of the half-cycle pulse. Transition probabilities are successfully described both with a dynamic Stark model and direct numerical integration of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. Ramsey interference between two delayed pulses is observed that shows strong-field behavior. The two-pulse experiment is a technique for high-order multiphoton spectroscopy without concern for ac Stark shifts.