Browsing by Author "Killian, Thomas"

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    Microscopic trapping and high-resolution imaging of ultra cold Rydberg atoms
    (2020-07-22) Rathore, Haad Y; Dunning, Barry; Killian, Thomas
    In this work we describe the design and implementation of an optical system that enables the study of the interactions of Rydberg atoms or other Rydberg species in well-defined geometries. To understand and observe the dynamics of Rydberg interactions, the ability to engineer different arrangements of microscopic cold atom traps and manipulate their positions with a precision of a few microns is essential. This is accomplished by a custom designed high-numerical-aperture long-working-distance objective lens and a spatial light modulator device to control the phase of an incoming optical beam. Several different trap geometries have been realized, with a spatial resolution of a few microns, including a 1-dimensional chain, a 2-dimensional square grid, and a circular array of traps. The objective lens has been designed to provide diffraction limited performance at multiple wavelengths facilitating the creation of not only micron-scale atom traps but also the fluorescence imaging of trapped atoms. The system enables precise control over trap positions, and hence the locations at which atoms might be excited, with applications in, for example, the study of long-range interactions between Rydberg atoms, the creation of long-range Rydberg molecules, the implementation of qubits for quantum computing based on Rydberg atoms, and in quantum simulation.
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    Rydberg-atom synthetic dimensions
    (2022-09-08) Kanungo, Soumya Kamal; Killian, Thomas
    Synthetic dimensions are powerful tools for quantum simulation and computation. They are realized by harnessing internal or external degrees of freedom of an atom or molecule, which can mimic the motion of an electron in a real-space lattice potential. Such degrees of freedom are highly tunable and can be engineered to create configurations difficult to access or realize in real space. Some of the exciting possibilities include realizing higher dimensions systems[1, 2, 3], nontrivial real space[4, 5] and band structure[6, 7] topologies and artificial gauge fields[8, 9]. Experiments have utilized various degrees of freedom to create synthetic dimensions, such as motional[10, 11], spin[8, 12, 13, 14] and rotational[15] levels of atoms and molecules, and frequency modes, spatial modes, and arrival times in photonic systems[16]. Atomic synthetic dimensions have demonstrated artificial gauge fields, spin-orbit coupling, chiral edge states using Raman-coupled ground magnetic sublevels[8, 12, 17] of atoms, and phenomena such as Anderson localization using two-photon Bragg transitions by coupling free-particle momentum states[18]. Here, we harness the Rydberg levels of 84Sr to realize a synthetic lattice for studying quantum matter. Resonant millimeter-wave (mm-wave) radiation coupling Rydberg levels |i⟩ and |j⟩ with amplitude Ωij (Rabi frequency) are described by the same Hamiltonian as a particle tunneling between lattice sites |i⟩ and |j⟩ with tunneling amplitude Jij = Ωij /2. The mathematical equivalence to particles moving in a real-space lattice enables Rydberg levels to function as a synthetic spatial dimension. Rydberg-atom synthetic dimensions offer control over connectivity, tunneling rates and on-site potentials, which allows for the creation of a broad range of synthetic dimensional system. The capabilities of such a system are demonstrated by realizing the famous Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model[19] and studying its topologically protected edge states(TPS).
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    Studies of Intermediates Created via Dissociative Electron Attachment through Heavy-Rydberg Ion-Pair State Formation in Rydberg Atom Collisions
    (2015-04-15) Buathong, Sitti; Dunning, F. Barry; Killian, Thomas; Reiff, Patricia
    The lifetimes and decay energetics of intermediates have been studied by measuring the velocity and angular distributions of heavy-Rydberg ion pair states formed through electron transfer in thermal-energy collisions between Rydberg atoms and attaching targets. The analysis of the experimental results by using Monte Carlo simulations indicates that electron attachment to CF3I and CH2Br2 forms very-short-lived intermediates whereas electron capture by CCl4 produces a long-lived intermediate.