Avalanche Terahertz Photon Detection in a Rydberg Tweezer Array
Chris Nill, Albert Cabot, A. Trautmann +2 more
We propose a protocol for the amplified detection of low-intensity terahertz radiation using Rydberg tweezer arrays. The protocol offers single photon sensitivity together with a low dark count rate. It is split into two phases: during a sensing phase, it harnesses strong terahertz-range transitions between highly excited Rydberg states to capture individual terahertz photons. During an amplification phase it exploits the Rydberg facilitation mechanism which converts a single terahertz photon into a substantial signal of Rydberg excitations. We discuss a concrete realization based on realistic atomic interaction parameters, develop a comprehensive theoretical model that incorporates the motion of trapped atoms and study the many-body dynamics using tensor network methods.
arXiv:2311.16365•Physical Review Letters•Aug 14, 2024•11 citations