Topology can imbue lattice systems with special properties, notably the presence of robust eigenstates living at their boundary. Through dimensional reduction, the robust bulk band topology of, e.g., the integer quantum Hall system can be mapped onto similarly robust charge-pumping dynamics of a topological pump living in one lower dimension. Recent studies have uncovered a rich influence of interactions on the dynamics of topological pumps in nonlinear systems, including the robust pumping of self-bound solitons. These striking observations in classical nonlinear photonics have raised a number of questions, chiefly if and how this phenomenology persists in strongly correlated quantum systems and in the few-body limit. Here, using few- and many-atom arrays, we explore how dipolar interactions impact the dynamics of topological population pumping along a Rydberg synthetic dimension. In the few-body limit, we find that dipolar interactions lead to self-bound states that are efficiently pumped along the synthetic dimension, described by an emergent pair-state topological pump. We find that this interaction-assisted pumping persists in many-atom arrays, with a sharpened dependence on the dipolar interaction strength that stems from the enhanced spatial connectivity. These Rydberg-based studies on interaction-assisted topological pumping help connect observations from classical nonlinear photonics to the few-body quantum limit and pave the way for studies of new strongly correlated quantum pumping phenomena.Topology can imbue lattice systems with special properties, notably the presence of robust eigenstates living at their boundary. Through dimensional reduction, the robust bulk band topology of, e.g., the integer quantum Hall system can be mapped onto similarly robust charge-pumping dynamics of a topological pump living in one lower dimension. Recent studies have uncovered a rich influence of interactions on the dynamics of topological pumps in nonlinear systems, including the robust pumping of self-bound solitons. These striking observations in classical nonlinear photonics have raised a number of questions, chiefly if and how this phenomenology persists in strongly correlated quantum systems and in the few-body limit. Here, using few- and many-atom arrays, we explore how dipolar interactions impact the dynamics of topological population pumping along a Rydberg synthetic dimension. In the few-body limit, we find that dipolar interactions lead to self-bound states that are efficiently pumped along the synthetic dimension, described by an emergent pair-state topological pump. We find that this interaction-assisted pumping persists in many-atom arrays, with a sharpened dependence on the dipolar interaction strength that stems from the enhanced spatial connectivity. These Rydberg-based studies on interaction-assisted topological pumping help connect observations from classical nonlinear photonics to the few-body quantum limit and pave the way for studies of new strongly correlated quantum pumping phenomena.

cond-mat.quant-gasCross-listedarXiv:2512.12364Physical Review XDec 16, 20250 citations

Strongly interacting Rydberg atoms in synthetic dimensions with a magnetic flux

Tao Chen, Chenxi Huang, Ivan Velkovsky +3 more

Synthetic dimensions, wherein dynamics occurs in a set of internal states, have found great success in recent years in exploring topological effects in cold atoms and photonics. However, the phenomena thus far explored have largely been restricted to the non-interacting or weakly interacting regimes. Here, we extend the synthetic dimensions playbook to strongly interacting systems of Rydberg atoms prepared in optical tweezer arrays. We use precise control over driving microwave fields to introduce a tunable U(1) flux in a four-site lattice of coupled Rydberg levels. We find highly coherent dynamics, in good agreement with theory. Single atoms show oscillatory dynamics controllable by the gauge field. Small arrays of interacting atoms exhibit behavior suggestive of the emergence of ergodic and arrested dynamics in the regimes of intermediate and strong interactions, respectively. These demonstrations pave the way for future explorations of strongly interacting dynamics and many-body phases in Rydberg synthetic lattices.Synthetic dimensions, wherein dynamics occurs in a set of internal states, have found great success in recent years in exploring topological effects in cold atoms and photonics. However, the phenomena thus far explored have largely been restricted to the non-interacting or weakly interacting regimes. Here, we extend the synthetic dimensions playbook to strongly interacting systems of Rydberg atoms prepared in optical tweezer arrays. We use precise control over driving microwave fields to introduce a tunable U(1) flux in a four-site lattice of coupled Rydberg levels. We find highly coherent dynamics, in good agreement with theory. Single atoms show oscillatory dynamics controllable by the gauge field. Small arrays of interacting atoms exhibit behavior suggestive of the emergence of ergodic and arrested dynamics in the regimes of intermediate and strong interactions, respectively. These demonstrations pave the way for future explorations of strongly interacting dynamics and many-body phases in Rydberg synthetic lattices.

arXiv:2306.00883Nature CommunicationsMar 27, 202428 citations

Cascaded Rydberg antiblockade: Multi-atom excitation dynamics and entanglement

Jin-Lei Wu, Jun Wu, Pei-Yao Song +4 more

We propose a cascaded Rydberg antiblockade (RAB) regime via a Floquet modulation in four fully connected interacting atoms, which establishes a new synthetic dimension, Dicke-state lattice (DSL), in the space of collective spin excitations. By applying a global periodic driving, we synthesize an effective Hamiltonian that enables perfect state transfer across the five-site DSL with multiple programmable pathways from stepwise nearest-neighbor jumps to a single-step transition. This DSL platform further allows us to simulate a dynamic Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, where soft quantum control is employed to achieve topologically inspired full RAB $|0000\rangle \to |1111\rangle$ with enhanced robustness against disorder. Moreover, by incorporating the shortcut to adiabaticity technique, we generate high-fidelity entangled twin-Fock and Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states on the four atoms within sub-microsecond timescales, outperforming the speed limits of conventional adiabatic protocols. Our work demonstrates a flexible and programmable synthetic dimension for quantum simulation and multipartite entanglement engineering in Rydberg atom arrays, paving the way for the future development of quantum information processing.We propose a cascaded Rydberg antiblockade (RAB) regime via a Floquet modulation in four fully connected interacting atoms, which establishes a new synthetic dimension, Dicke-state lattice (DSL), in the space of collective spin excitations. By applying a global periodic driving, we synthesize an effective Hamiltonian that enables perfect state transfer across the five-site DSL with multiple programmable pathways from stepwise nearest-neighbor jumps to a single-step transition. This DSL platform further allows us to simulate a dynamic Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, where soft quantum control is employed to achieve topologically inspired full RAB $|0000\rangle \to |1111\rangle$ with enhanced robustness against disorder. Moreover, by incorporating the shortcut to adiabaticity technique, we generate high-fidelity entangled twin-Fock and Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states on the four atoms within sub-microsecond timescales, outperforming the speed limits of conventional adiabatic protocols. Our work demonstrates a flexible and programmable synthetic dimension for quantum simulation and multipartite entanglement engineering in Rydberg atom arrays, paving the way for the future development of quantum information processing.

quant-pharXiv:2606.08536Jun 9, 20260 citations

|0000\rangle \to |1111\rangle

with enhanced robustness against disorder. Moreover, by incorporating the shortcut to adiabaticity technique, we generate high-fidelity entangled twin-Fock and Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states on the four atoms within sub-microsecond timescales, outperforming the speed limits of conventional adiabatic protocols. Our work demonstrates a flexible and programmable synthetic dimension for quantum simulation and multipartite entanglement engineering in Rydberg atom arrays, paving the way for the future development of quantum information processing.