Based on the dipole blockade effect and with the aid of the superatom (SA) model, we propose a scheme to investigate the correlated evolution of two Rydberg sub-superatoms (SSAs), formed by two spatially separated atomic Rydberg sub-ensembles but in the same blockade region. Starting from the pure separable states, we investigate the in-phase or anti-phase correlated dynamics and explore how two Rydberg SSAs entangle with each other mediated by a single Rydberg excitation. Starting from the entangled states, we discuss the robustness of the system against decoherence induced by the dephasing rate. Our results show that both the correlated evolution of two Rydberg SSAs and their collective-state entanglement are usually sensitive to the number of each Rydberg SSA. This allows us to coherently manipulate the Rydberg ensemble over long distances from the single-quantum level to the mesoscopic level by changing the number of atoms. Furthermore, the method for dividing an SA into two SSAs and obtaining their spin operators without any approximation can be readily generalized to the case of many SSAs. It may have potential promising applications in quantum information processing and provide an attractive platform to study the quantum-classical correspondence, many-body physics and so on.
Based on the dipole blockade effect and with the aid of the superatom (SA) model, we propose a scheme to investigate the correlated evolution of two Rydberg sub-superatoms (SSAs), formed by two spatially separated atomic Rydberg sub-ensembles but in the same blockade region. Starting from the pure separable states, we investigate the in-phase or anti-phase correlated dynamics and explore how two Rydberg SSAs entangle with each other mediated by a single Rydberg excitation. Starting from the entangled states, we discuss the robustness of the system against decoherence induced by the dephasing rate. Our results show that both the correlated evolution of two Rydberg SSAs and their collective-state entanglement are usually sensitive to the number of each Rydberg SSA. This allows us to coherently manipulate the Rydberg ensemble over long distances from the single-quantum level to the mesoscopic level by changing the number of atoms. Furthermore, the method for dividing an SA into two SSAs and obtaining their spin operators without any approximation can be readily generalized to the case of many SSAs. It may have potential promising applications in quantum information processing and provide an attractive platform to study the quantum-classical correspondence, many-body physics and so on.
Owing to the unique physical characteristics of Rydberg atoms, which play an important role in quantum information and quantum computation, the theoretical and applied research of Rydberg atoms have become the hot spots of scientific research in recent years. With the large polarizability of Rydberg atoms, even a small electric field could cause a considerable electric dipole moment, resulting in a strong dipole-dipole interaction between Rydberg atoms. The multiple excitations of the Rydberg states are strongly inhibited because of the strong dipole interaction between atoms within a mesoscopic interaction (blockade) region. We call this phenomenon the dipole blockade effect. The dipole blockade effect makes it possible to build single-photon quantum devices, implement quantum gates, generate quantum entanglement, and simulate many-body quantum problems, etc. A Rydberg atomic ensemble in the same blockade region can be regarded as a superatom. In the same way, if these atoms trapped in two optical dipole traps, each sub-ensemble can be considered as a sub-superatom which is closely related to the superatom. According to the fact that two Rydberg sub-superatoms can be strongly correlated due to sharing no more than one excited Rydberg atom, we study correlated collective excitation and quantum entanglement between two Rydberg sub-superatoms in a steady state. With the superatom model, the problem of exponentially increasing system size with the number of atoms can be circumvented to a certain extent in studying many-body physics. By solving the two-body Lindblad’s master equation accurately, we obtain the analytical expressions for the collective excitation probabilities of the two sub-superatoms, and the concurrence measuring the bipartite entanglement between them. Our results show that they are all sensitive to the number of atoms in each Rydberg superatom: the bigger (including more atoms) the Rydberg superatom, the higher the collective Rydberg excitation probability is. And that the maximally entangled state can only be obtained with two equal-sized Rydberg superatoms. When this condition is fulfilled, the mesoscopic entanglement can be generated by adding the number of atoms in each Rydberg superatom. This may provide an attractive platform for studying the quantum-classical correspondence and have potential promising applications in quantum information processing.
Owing to the long lifetime of Rydberg atom, easy to operate and easy to control the interaction between Rydberg atoms, Rydberg atom has attracted considerable attention in quantum information and quantum optics fields. Specially, the anti-blockade effect, as a physical resource, can be used to implement various tasks in quantum information processing. Based on the rigid dipole blockade, an ensemble of two-level Rydberg atoms trapped in three magneto-optical traps can be regarded as a superatom. Based on the superatom model, the in-phase and anti-phase dynamics of the three-body Rydberg superatoms are studied by adjusting the numbers of atoms, and the W state and two kinds of maximal entangled states are generated simultaneously. Our work has great potential applications in coherent manipulation and quantum information processing.The numerical simulations are performed based on the superatom model and thereby the formidable obstacle that the Hilbert space dimension grows exponentially with the particle number increasing can be completely removed. As a result, the quantum control and quantum entanglement can be achieved from the single-quanta level to the mesoscopic level.
Quantum information is a rapidly developing field that merges the principles of quantum mechanics with information theory to explore new ways of processing and transmitting information. Qubits, which utilize superposition and entanglement, offer the potential for exponentially faster computation and secure communication methods that are fundamentally different from classical systems. This thesis contributes to the future of quantum information by studying two key platforms using neutral atoms: atomic arrays and atomic ensembles. It summarizes essential theoretical and experimental methods in the field and discusses key findings. To achieve entanglement among atomic qubits, Rydberg interactions are utilized, with two main effects discussed in this thesis. The Rydberg blockade effect is introduced where atoms trapped in an ensemble can form a two-level superatom. A state-insensitive optical lattice is used to achieve long coherence time for both the ground and Rydberg states. Long-lived Rabi oscillations and Ramsey interference are reported to demonstrate the collective enhancement of √N in a superatom. Furthermore, Rydberg dephasing is separated from Rydberg blockade and is investigated as a method to generate single photons from multiply excited states. This thesis presents both theoretical models and temporal evolution measurements of Rydberg dephasing from an initially unentangled Rydberg spinwave into an entangled single photon state. Additionally, this thesis examines the collective atomic dipole moment of a superatom, ⟨E⟩. Theoretical and experimental work are conducted to study the dipole moment when the phase-matched emission is combined with a coherent field in a homodyne detection method. This work advances our understanding of Rydberg interactions and collective dipole moments, contributing to the rapidly developing field of quantum information. The goal is to pave the way for the next era of quantum information through collaborative efforts and innovative research.
Strong interactions can amplify quantum effects such that they become important on macroscopic scales. Controlling these coherently on a single particle level is essential for the tailored preparation of strongly correlated quantum systems and opens up new prospects for quantum technologies. Rydberg atoms offer such strong interactions which lead to extreme nonlinearities in laser coupled atomic ensembles. As a result, multiple excitation of a Micrometer sized cloud can be blocked while the light-matter coupling becomes collectively enhanced. The resulting two-level system, often called "superatom", is a valuable resource for quantum information, providing a collective Qubit. Here we report on the preparation of two orders of magnitude scalable superatoms utilizing the large interaction strength provided by Rydberg atoms combined with precise control of an ensemble of ultracold atoms in an optical lattice. The latter is achieved with sub shot noise precision by local manipulation of a two-dimensional Mott insulator. We microscopically confirm the superatom picture by in-situ detection of the Rydberg excitations and observe the characteristic square root scaling of the optical coupling with the number of atoms. Furthermore, we verify the presence of entanglement in the prepared states and demonstrate the coherent manipulation of the superatom. Finally, we investigate the breakdown of the superatom picture when two Rydberg excitations are present in the system, which leads to dephasing and a loss of coherence.
Remote entanglement of matter qubits plays an important role in quantum networks and quantum repeater. Collective excitations generated via Rydberg blockade in an atomic ensemble-known as Rydberg superatoms-are promising candidates due to collectively enhanced atom-photon coupling and Rydberg-enabled nonlinearity. Here, we experimentally realize remote entanglement between two Rydberg superatoms via single-photon interference. The two setups are separated by 3 m and linked with two 20-m fibers, operated with independent control lasers. We verify that the entanglement generated is free from high-order excitation noise that is a key drawback in the traditional Duan-Lukin-Cirac-Zoller scheme. This Letter paves the way for entangling long-distance separated Rydberg superatoms at a high rate, as the success probability of a single-photon-based entangling scheme scales with the square root of the channel transmittance.
Dense atom ensembles with Rydberg excitations display intriguing collective effects mediated by their strong, long-range dipole–dipole interactions. These collective effects, often modeled using Rydberg superatoms, have gained significant attention across various fields due to their potential applications in quantum information processing and quantum optics. In this review article, we delve into the theoretical foundations of Rydberg interactions and explore experimental techniques for their manipulation and detection. We also discuss the latest advancements in harnessing Rydberg collective effects for quantum computation and optical quantum technologies. By synthesizing insights from theoretical studies and experimental demonstrations, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of this rapidly evolving field and its potential impact on the future of quantum technologies.