The passage of cold cesium 49S Rydberg atoms through an electric-field-induced multi-level avoided crossing with nearby hydrogen-like Rydberg levels is employed to prepare a cold, dipolar Rydberg atom gas. When the electric field is ramped through the avoided crossing on time scales on the order of 100 ns or slower, the 49S population adiabatically transitions into high- l Rydberg Stark states. The adiabatic state transformation results in a cold gas of Rydberg atoms with large electric dipole moments. After a waiting time of about 1 μ s and at sufficient atom density, the adiabatically transformed highly dipolar atoms become undetectable, enabling us to discern adiabatic from diabatic passage behavior through the avoided crossing. We attribute the state-selectivity to m -mixing collisions between the dipolar atoms. The data interpretation is supported by numerical simulations of the passage dynamics and of binary m -mixing collisions.The passage of cold cesium 49S Rydberg atoms through an electric-field-induced multi-level avoided crossing with nearby hydrogen-like Rydberg levels is employed to prepare a cold, dipolar Rydberg atom gas. When the electric field is ramped through the avoided crossing on time scales on the order of 100 ns or slower, the 49S population adiabatically transitions into high- l Rydberg Stark states. The adiabatic state transformation results in a cold gas of Rydberg atoms with large electric dipole moments. After a waiting time of about 1 μ s and at sufficient atom density, the adiabatically transformed highly dipolar atoms become undetectable, enabling us to discern adiabatic from diabatic passage behavior through the avoided crossing. We attribute the state-selectivity to m -mixing collisions between the dipolar atoms. The data interpretation is supported by numerical simulations of the passage dynamics and of binary m -mixing collisions.

arXiv:1504.00518New Journal of PhysicsJun 10, 201512 citations

Quantum Optical Networks via Polariton Exchange Interactions

Mohammad Farhan Khazali, Callum R. Murray, Thomas Pohl

We examine the dynamics of Rydberg polaritons with dipolar interactions that propagate in multiple spatial modes. The dipolar excitation-exchange between different Rydberg states mediates an effective exchange between polaritons that enables photons to hop across different spatial channels. Remarkably, the efficiency of this photon exchange process can increase with the channel distance and becomes optimal at a finite rail separation. Based on this mechanism, we design a simple photonic network that realises a two photon quantum gate with a robust $\pi$ -phase, protected by the symmetries of the underlying photon interaction and the geometry of the network. These capabilities expand the scope of Rydberg-EIT towards multidimensional geometries for nonlinear optical networks and explorations of photonic many-body physics.We examine the dynamics of Rydberg polaritons with dipolar interactions that propagate in multiple spatial modes. The dipolar excitation-exchange between different Rydberg states mediates an effective exchange between polaritons that enables photons to hop across different spatial channels. Remarkably, the efficiency of this photon exchange process can increase with the channel distance and becomes optimal at a finite rail separation. Based on this mechanism, we design a simple photonic network that realises a two photon quantum gate with a robust $\pi$-phase, protected by the symmetries of the underlying photon interaction and the geometry of the network. These capabilities expand the scope of Rydberg-EIT towards multidimensional geometries for nonlinear optical networks and explorations of photonic many-body physics.

Mar 29, 20190 citations

Dark-State Polaritons with Rydberg Interactions

Johannes Otterbach, Alexey Vyacheslavovich Gorshkov, Thomas Pohl +2 more

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyJun 17, 20110 citations

Polariton Exchange Interactions in Multichannel Optical Networks

Mohammadsadegh Khazali, Callum R. Murray, Thomas Pohl

We examine the dynamics of Rydberg polaritons with dipolar interactions that propagate in multiple spatial modes. The dipolar excitation exchange between different Rydberg states mediates an effective exchange between polaritons that enables photons to hop across different spatial channels. Remarkably, the efficiency of this photon exchange process can increase with the channel distance and becomes optimal at a finite rail separation. Based on this mechanism, we design a simple photonic network that realizes a two photon quantum gate with a robust π phase, protected by the symmetries of the underlying photon interaction and the geometry of the network. These capabilities expand the scope of Rydberg electromagnetically induced transparency towards multidimensional geometries for nonlinear optical networks and explorations of photonic many-body physics.We examine the dynamics of Rydberg polaritons with dipolar interactions that propagate in multiple spatial modes. The dipolar excitation exchange between different Rydberg states mediates an effective exchange between polaritons that enables photons to hop across different spatial channels. Remarkably, the efficiency of this photon exchange process can increase with the channel distance and becomes optimal at a finite rail separation. Based on this mechanism, we design a simple photonic network that realizes a two photon quantum gate with a robust π phase, protected by the symmetries of the underlying photon interaction and the geometry of the network. These capabilities expand the scope of Rydberg electromagnetically induced transparency towards multidimensional geometries for nonlinear optical networks and explorations of photonic many-body physics.

arXiv:1903.12442Physical Review LettersSep 13, 201922 citations

\pi

-phase, protected by the symmetries of the underlying photon interaction and the geometry of the network. These capabilities expand the scope of Rydberg-EIT towards multidimensional geometries for nonlinear optical networks and explorations of photonic many-body physics.