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

arXiv:cond-mat/0703443 · Physical Review A

Spectral properties of a Rydberg atom immersed in a Bose-Einstein condensate

Stephan Middelkamp, Igor Lesanovsky, Peter Schmelcher

Published Aug 23, 2007• 9 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The electronic spectrum of a Rydberg atom immersed in a Bose-Einstein condensate is investigated. The Heisenberg equations of motions for the condensate and the Rydberg atom are derived. Neglecting the back action of the Rydberg atom onto the condensate decouples the equations describing the condensate and Rydberg atom. In this case the spectral structure of the Rydberg atom is completely determined by an effective potential which depends on the density distribution of the condensate. We study the spectral properties for the situation of an isotropic harmonic and anharmonic as well as axially symmetric confinement. In the latter case an intriguing analogy with Rydberg atoms in magnetic fields is encountered.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.76.022507

Related papers

Ultracold molecular Rydberg physics in a high density environment

Matthew T. Eiles, Jesús Pérez‐Ríos, F. Robicheaux +1 more

Abstract Sufficiently high densities in Bose–Einstein condensates provide favorable conditions for the production of ultralong-range polyatomic molecules consisting of one Rydberg atom and a number of neutral ground state atoms. The chemical binding properties and electronic wave functions of these exotic molecules are investigated analytically via hybridized diatomic states. The effects of the molecular geometry on the system’s properties are studied through comparisons of the adiabatic potential curves and electronic structures for both symmetric and randomly configured molecular geometries. General properties of these molecules with increasing numbers of constituent atoms and in different geometries are presented. These polyatomic states have spectral signatures that lead to non-Lorentzian line-profiles.

arXiv:1601.06881•Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•May 16, 2016•42 citations

Rydberg Electrons in a Bose-Einstein Condensate

Jia Wang, Marko Gacesa, Robin Côté

We investigate a hybrid system composed of ultracold Rydberg atoms immersed in an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The coupling between Rydberg electrons and BEC atoms leads to excitations of phonons, the exchange of which induces a Yukawa interaction between Rydberg atoms. Because of the small electron mass, the effective charge associated with this quasiparticle-mediated interaction can be large. Its range, equal to the BEC healing length, is tunable using Feshbach resonances to adjust the scattering length between BEC atoms. We find that for small healing lengths, the distortion of the BEC can "image" the Rydberg electron wave function, while for large healing lengths the induced attractive Yukawa potentials between Rydberg atoms are strong enough to bind them.

arXiv:1410.7853•Physical Review Letters•Jun 18, 2015•37 citations

Condensate losses and oscillations induced by Rydberg atoms

Tomasz Karpiuk, Mirosław Brewczyk, Kazimierz Rza̧żewski +5 more

Abstract We numerically analyze the impact of a single Rydberg electron onto a Bose–Einstein condensate. Both S - and D -Rydberg states are studied. The radial size of S - and D -states are comparable, hence the only difference is due to the angular dependence of the wavefunctions. We find the atom losses in the condensate after the excitation of a sequence of Rydberg atoms. Additionally, we investigate the mechanical effect in which the Rydberg atoms force the condensate to oscillate. Our numerical analysis is based on the classical fields approximation. Finally, we compare numerical results to experimental data.

arXiv:1610.03686•Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Feb 10, 2017•1 citation

Tracking Rydberg atoms with Bose-Einstein condensates

Shiva Kant Tiwari, Sebastian Wüster

We propose to track the position and velocity of mobile Rydberg excited impurity atoms through the elastic interactions of the Rydberg electron with a host condensate. Tracks first occur in the condensate phase, but are then naturally converted to features in the condensate density or momentum distribution. The condensate thus acts analogously to the cloud or bubble chambers in the early days of elementary particle physics. The technique will be useful for exploring Rydberg-Rydberg scattering, rare inelastic processes involving the Rydberg impurities, coherence in Rydberg motion, and forces exerted by the condensate on the impurities. Our simulations show that resolvable tracks can be generated within the immersed Rydberg lifetime and condensate heating is under control. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of this Rydberg tracking technique to study ionizing Rydberg collisions or angular momentum changing interactions with the condensate.

arXiv:1810.03439•Physical Review A•Apr 16, 2019•9 citations

Ionic Impurity in a Bose-Einstein Condensate at Submicrokelvin Temperatures

K. S. Kleinbach, F. Engel, T. Dieterle +3 more

Rydberg atoms immersed in a Bose-Einstein condensate interact with the quantum gas via electron-atom and ion-atom interaction. To suppress the typically dominant electron-neutral interaction, Rydberg states with a principal quantum number up to n=190 are excited from a dense and tightly trapped micron-sized condensate. This allows us to explore a regime where the Rydberg orbit exceeds the size of the atomic sample by far. In this case, a detailed line shape analysis of the Rydberg excitation spectrum provides clear evidence for ion-atom interaction at temperatures well below a microkelvin. Our results may open up ways to enter the quantum regime of ion-atom scattering for the exploration of charged quantum impurities and associated polaron physics.

arXiv:1802.08587•Physical Review Letters•May 10, 2018•84 citations

Phenomenology of a Rydberg impurity in an ideal Bose-Einstein condensate

Aileen A. T. Durst, Matthew T. Eiles

We investigate the absorption spectrum of a Rydberg impurity immersed in and interacting with an ideal Bose-Einstein condensate. Here, the impurity-bath interaction range can greatly exceed the mean interparticle distance; this discrepancy in length scales challenges the assumptions underlying the universal aspects of impurity atoms in dilute bosonic environments. Our analysis finds three distinct parameter regimes, each characterized by a unique spectral response. In the low-density regime, we find that the Rydberg impurity is dressed by the surrounding bath similarly to the known Bose polaron. Transitioning to intermediate densities, the impurity response, given by sharp quasiparticle peaks, fragments into an intricate pattern bearing the hallmarks of a diverse molecular structure. Finally, at high density, a universal Gaussian response emerges as the statistical nature of the bath dominates its quantum dynamics. We complement this analysis with a study of an ionic impurity, which behaves equivalently. Our exploration offers insights into the interplay between interaction range, density, and many-body behavior in impurity systems. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

arXiv:2404.03980•Physical Review Research•Oct 8, 2024•11 citations
The electronic spectrum of a Rydberg atom immersed in a Bose-Einstein condensate is investigated. The Heisenberg equations of motions for the condensate and the Rydberg atom are derived. Neglecting the back action of the Rydberg atom onto the condensate decouples the equations describing the condensate and Rydberg atom. In this case the spectral structure of the Rydberg atom is completely determined by an effective potential which depends on the density distribution of the condensate. We study the spectral properties for the situation of an isotropic harmonic and anharmonic as well as axially symmetric confinement. In the latter case an intriguing analogy with Rydberg atoms in magnetic fields is encountered.
Abstract Sufficiently high densities in Bose–Einstein condensates provide favorable conditions for the production of ultralong-range polyatomic molecules consisting of one Rydberg atom and a number of neutral ground state atoms. The chemical binding properties and electronic wave functions of these exotic molecules are investigated analytically via hybridized diatomic states. The effects of the molecular geometry on the system’s properties are studied through comparisons of the adiabatic potential curves and electronic structures for both symmetric and randomly configured molecular geometries. General properties of these molecules with increasing numbers of constituent atoms and in different geometries are presented. These polyatomic states have spectral signatures that lead to non-Lorentzian line-profiles.
We investigate a hybrid system composed of ultracold Rydberg atoms immersed in an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The coupling between Rydberg electrons and BEC atoms leads to excitations of phonons, the exchange of which induces a Yukawa interaction between Rydberg atoms. Because of the small electron mass, the effective charge associated with this quasiparticle-mediated interaction can be large. Its range, equal to the BEC healing length, is tunable using Feshbach resonances to adjust the scattering length between BEC atoms. We find that for small healing lengths, the distortion of the BEC can "image" the Rydberg electron wave function, while for large healing lengths the induced attractive Yukawa potentials between Rydberg atoms are strong enough to bind them.
Abstract We numerically analyze the impact of a single Rydberg electron onto a Bose–Einstein condensate. Both S - and D -Rydberg states are studied. The radial size of S - and D -states are comparable, hence the only difference is due to the angular dependence of the wavefunctions. We find the atom losses in the condensate after the excitation of a sequence of Rydberg atoms. Additionally, we investigate the mechanical effect in which the Rydberg atoms force the condensate to oscillate. Our numerical analysis is based on the classical fields approximation. Finally, we compare numerical results to experimental data.
We propose to track the position and velocity of mobile Rydberg excited impurity atoms through the elastic interactions of the Rydberg electron with a host condensate. Tracks first occur in the condensate phase, but are then naturally converted to features in the condensate density or momentum distribution. The condensate thus acts analogously to the cloud or bubble chambers in the early days of elementary particle physics. The technique will be useful for exploring Rydberg-Rydberg scattering, rare inelastic processes involving the Rydberg impurities, coherence in Rydberg motion, and forces exerted by the condensate on the impurities. Our simulations show that resolvable tracks can be generated within the immersed Rydberg lifetime and condensate heating is under control. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of this Rydberg tracking technique to study ionizing Rydberg collisions or angular momentum changing interactions with the condensate.
Rydberg atoms immersed in a Bose-Einstein condensate interact with the quantum gas via electron-atom and ion-atom interaction. To suppress the typically dominant electron-neutral interaction, Rydberg states with a principal quantum number up to n=190 are excited from a dense and tightly trapped micron-sized condensate. This allows us to explore a regime where the Rydberg orbit exceeds the size of the atomic sample by far. In this case, a detailed line shape analysis of the Rydberg excitation spectrum provides clear evidence for ion-atom interaction at temperatures well below a microkelvin. Our results may open up ways to enter the quantum regime of ion-atom scattering for the exploration of charged quantum impurities and associated polaron physics.
We investigate the absorption spectrum of a Rydberg impurity immersed in and interacting with an ideal Bose-Einstein condensate. Here, the impurity-bath interaction range can greatly exceed the mean interparticle distance; this discrepancy in length scales challenges the assumptions underlying the universal aspects of impurity atoms in dilute bosonic environments. Our analysis finds three distinct parameter regimes, each characterized by a unique spectral response. In the low-density regime, we find that the Rydberg impurity is dressed by the surrounding bath similarly to the known Bose polaron. Transitioning to intermediate densities, the impurity response, given by sharp quasiparticle peaks, fragments into an intricate pattern bearing the hallmarks of a diverse molecular structure. Finally, at high density, a universal Gaussian response emerges as the statistical nature of the bath dominates its quantum dynamics. We complement this analysis with a study of an ionic impurity, which behaves equivalently. Our exploration offers insights into the interplay between interaction range, density, and many-body behavior in impurity systems. Published by the American Physical Society 2024