Interfacing Ultracold Polar Molecules with Rydberg atoms: A Hybrid Platform for Quantum Science

超冷极性分子与里德伯原子的接口：量子科学的混合平台

• 批准号: EP/V047302/1
• 负责人: Simon Cornish
• 金额: $ 25.7万
• 依托单位: Durham University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2021 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FV047302%2F1
• 关键词: Interfacing; Ultracold; Polar; Molecules; Rydberg

The predictions of quantum mechanics, the theory that governs all matter at a microscopic level, are often fascinating and sometimes mystifying. At the heart of this theory are two fundamental concepts. The first, wave-particle duality, implies that particles, such as electrons in an atom, can behave like waves and that light waves can behave like particles. The second, entanglement, is the concept that once two (or more) particles have interacted, they cannot be treated as independent entities no matter how far apart they are. These inherently quantum properties can lead to phenomena that defy our classical intuition. Superconductivity, the flow of charge through a material without resistance, is an excellent example. Currently, there is world-wide interest in harnessing the unique properties of quantum mechanics to develop a new-wave of technological devices that have the potential to surpass even the best classical counterparts, just as a superconductor outperforms copper. We can expect such quantum technologies to deliver more powerful methods of computation, completely secure communication, enhanced metrology and sensors with unparalleled sensitivity. Many different physical platforms are being developed for quantum technologies, including trapped ions, ultracold atoms, superconducting devices and photons. Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, with no single system providing the ideal architecture. A solution to this problem is to construct a hybrid platform combining two (or more) unique quantum systems in such a way as to profit from their individual advantages whilst simultaneously mitigating their disadvantages.In this context, we propose to combine ultracold polar molecules and highly-excited Rydberg atoms in a flexible platform using optical tweezer arrays. This innovative approach aims to leverage the richness associated with the long-lived rotational states of molecules by interfacing them with strongly interacting Rydberg atoms to realise a hybrid quantum system ideally suited to investigate problems in quantum science and technology. Our platform promises new capabilities and a wealth of future research directions including (a) The non-destructive detection and readout of the internal rotational state of a polar molecule for applications in quantum simulation. (b) The creation of a new class of ultracold molecules, Giant Polyatomic Rydberg Molecules, providing a testbed for studying fundamental electron molecule scattering in the quantum regime. (c) The implementation of fast molecule-molecule quantum gates mediated by a Rydberg atom for applications in quantum information processing. (d) The realisation of effective spin-spin interactions between molecules in an optical lattice mediated by Rydberg atoms for studies of quantum magnetism. Our vision is underpinned by the existence of strong long-range charge-dipole interactions between a diatomic polar molecule and a Rydberg atom. The goal of this two-year research project is to measure and learn to control these interactions using single atoms and molecules confined in tightly confining optical traps, known as optical tweezers. This will provide a springboard to the longer-term objectives of our research vision.

量子力学是一种在微观层面上控制所有物质的理论，它的预测常常令人着迷，有时甚至令人困惑。该理论的核心是两个基本概念。第一个是波粒二象性，意味着粒子（例如原子中的电子）可以表现得像波，而光波可以表现得像粒子。第二个，纠缠，是指一旦两个（或多个）粒子相互作用，无论它们相距多远，它们都不能被视为独立的实体。这些固有的量子特性可能会导致违背我们经典直觉的现象。超导性，即电荷在没有电阻的情况下流过材料，就是一个很好的例子。目前，全世界都对利用量子力学的独特性质来开发新一波的技术设备感兴趣，这些设备有可能超越最好的经典设备，就像超导体超越铜一样。我们可以期望此类量子技术能够提供更强大的计算方法、完全安全的通信、增强的计量学和具有无与伦比的灵敏度的传感器。正在为量子技术开发许多不同的物理平台，包括捕获离子、超冷原子、超导器件和光子。每个平台都有自己的优点和缺点，没有一个系统可以提供理想的架构。解决这个问题的方法是构建一个混合平台，将两个（或更多）独特的量子系统结合起来，从而从各自的优势中获益，同时减轻各自的劣势。在这种情况下，我们建议将超冷极性分子和高度量子系统结合起来。 -使用光镊阵列在灵活的平台中激发里德伯原子。这种创新方法旨在通过将分子与强相互作用的里德伯原子连接来利用与分子的长寿命旋转状态相关的丰富性，以实现非常适合研究量子科学和技术问题的混合量子系统。我们的平台有望提供新的功能和丰富的未来研究方向，包括（a）无损检测和读出极性分子的内部旋转状态，用于量子模拟中的应用。 (b) 创建一类新型超冷分子，即巨型多原子里德伯分子，为研究量子体系中基本电子分子散射提供了一个试验台。 (c) 实现由里德伯原子介导的快速分子-分子量子门，用于量子信息处理中的应用。 (d) 实现由里德伯原子介导的光学晶格中分子之间的有效自旋-自旋相互作用，用于量子磁性研究。我们的愿景是基于双原子极性分子和里德伯原子之间存在的强远程电荷偶极相互作用。这个为期两年的研究项目的目标是使用限制在严格限制的光陷阱（称为光镊）中的单个原子和分子来测量和学习控制这些相互作用。这将为我们研究愿景的长期目标提供一个跳板。

项目成果

Universality of Z3 parafermions via edge mode interaction and quantum simulation of topological space evolution with Rydberg atoms

通过边缘模式相互作用实现 Z3 平费米子的普适性以及里德伯原子拓扑空间演化的量子模拟

• DOI: http://dx.10.48550/arxiv.2111.04132
• 发表时间: 2021
• 作者: Benhemou A

Observation of Rydberg Blockade Due to the Charge-Dipole Interaction between an Atom and a Polar Molecule.

由于原子和极性分子之间的电荷偶极子相互作用而观察到的里德伯封锁。

• DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.131.013401
• 发表时间: 2023-03-10
• 期刊: Physical review letters
• 影响因子: 8.6
• 作者: A. Guttridge;Daniel K. Ruttley;Archie C. Baldock;Rosario Gonz'alez;H. Sadeghpour;C. Adams;S. Cornish
• 通讯作者: S. Cornish

Universality of Z 3 parafermions via edge-mode interaction and quantum simulation of topological space evolution with Rydberg atoms

通过边缘模式相互作用实现 Z 3 平费米子的普适性以及里德伯原子拓扑空间演化的量子模拟

• DOI: http://dx.10.1103/physrevresearch.5.023076
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Physical Review Research
• 影响因子: 4.2
• 作者: Benhemou A

Formation of Ultracold Molecules by Merging Optical Tweezers.

通过合并光镊形成超冷分子。

• DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.130.223401
• 发表时间: 2023-02-14
• 期刊: Physical review letters
• 影响因子: 8.6
• 作者: Daniel K. Ruttley;A. Guttridge;Stefan Spence;R. Bird;C. L. Le Sueur;J. Hutson;S. Cornish
• 通讯作者: S. Cornish