Interactions in Cold Rydberg Gases

利用独特的碰撞成像光谱仪和非线性光学技术对冷里德堡原子(T1mK)之间的相互作用进行了实验研究。里德堡原子之间相干相互作用的研究对于量子计算、多体物理、少数光子限制下的非线性光学以及其他依赖于强光-光相互作用的现象都具有重要的意义。这些实验的结果将与我们课题组的理论进行比较。研究计划由3个主要实验组成。首先，正在研究大二聚体的相干激发，大二聚体是核间间隔大于1微米的分子。里德堡原子大二聚体具有独特的性质，可用于在广泛的宏观距离和能量尺度上探测量子气体中的关联。其次，我们将从实验和理论上研究极化电场中里德堡原子之间的各向异性偶极-偶极相互作用。这项工作将支持该提议中的其他实验，以及其他关于冷里德堡气体的工作，包括量子计算、超冷等离子体、碰撞、里德堡物质和多体现象。最后，利用非线性光学技术研究了冷里德堡原子的相干相互作用和激发。能量简并四波混频在时间域和频率域可以探测冷里德堡气体中里德堡原子相互作用的相干性。该项目资助了2名研究生。该研究计划还使本科生能够通过OU的高级Capstone和NSF-REU计划参与其中。我们的研究小组成功地参与了本科生的研究，这体现在过去7年中完成了10个高级Capstone项目和11个NSF-REU项目。为了帮助招募新学生加入项目并教授参与项目的学生，PI计划在暑期课程中将与此研究相关的主题包括在他过去5个暑期自愿教授给教员、研究生和暑期本科生的高级研究主题中。这项工作也被用来扩大与我们系材料研究科学与工程中心(MRSEC)相关的SEE、科学区(K-12)和教师研究经验(RET)扩展计划。

The interactions between cold Rydberg atoms (T1mK) are being studied experimentally using a unique collision imaging spectrometer and nonlinear optical techniques. The study of coherent interactions between Rydberg atoms is important for quantum computing, many-body physics, nonlinear optics at the few photon limit, and other phenomena that rely on strong light-light interactions. The results of these experiments will be compared to theory done by our research group. The research program consists of 3 principal experiments. First, the coherent excitation of macrodimers, molecules with internuclear separations greater than 1 micron, is being investigated. Rydberg atom macrodimers have unique properties that can be used to probe correlations in quantum gases over a broad range of macroscopic distances and energy scales. Second, anisotropic dipole-dipole interactions between Rydberg atoms in a polarizing electric field will be studied experimentally and theoretically. This work will support the other experiments in the proposal as well as other work in cold Rydberg gases including that on quantum computation, ultracold plasmas, collisions, Rydberg matter, and many-body phenomena. Finally, coherent interactions and excitation of cold Rydberg atoms are being investigated using nonlinear optical techniques. Energy degenerate 4-wave mixing in the time and frequency domains can probe the coherence of Rydberg atom interactions in a cold Rydberg gas.The project supports 2 graduate students. The research program also enables undergraduate students who participate through the senior capstone and the NSF-REU programs at OU. Our research group has been successful with undergraduate research participation as demonstrated by the completion of 10 senior capstone projects and 11 NSF-REU projects over the last 7 years. To help recruit new students to the project and teach the students working on the project, the PI plans to include topics relevant to this research in the summer course in advanced research topics that he has taught the last 5 summers on a voluntary basis to faculty, graduate students and summer undergraduate research students. The work is also be used to expand the SEES, Science Zone (K-12), and Research Experience for Teachers (RET) outreach programs associated with our departments Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC).