Quantum non-equilibrium dynamics of Rydberg gases in the presence of dephasing noise of different strengths

Levi, Emanuele; Gutierrez, Ricardo; Lesanovsky, Igor

Abstract

In the presence of strong dephasing noise the dynamics of Rydberg gases becomes effectively classical, due to the rapid decay of quantum superpositions between atomic levels. Recently a great deal of attention has been devoted to the stochastic dynamics that emerges in that limit, revealing several interesting features, including kinetically constrained glassy behaviour, self-similarity and aggregation effects. However, the non-equilibrium physics of these systems, in particular in the regime where coherent and dissipative processes contribute on equal footing, is yet far from being understood. To explore this we study the dynamics of a small one-dimensional Rydberg lattice gas subject to dephasing noise by numerically integrating the quantum master equation. We interpolate between the coherent and the strongly dephased regime by defining a generalised concept of a blockade length. We find indications that the main features observed in the strongly dissipative limit persist when the dissipation is not strong enough to annihilate quantum coherences at the dynamically relevant time scales. These features include the existence of a time-dependent Rydberg blockade radius, and a growth of the density of excitations which is compatible with the power-law behaviour expected in the classical limit.

Citation

Levi, E., Gutierrez, R., & Lesanovsky, I. (2016). Quantum non-equilibrium dynamics of Rydberg gases in the presence of dephasing noise of different strengths. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, 49(18), Article 184003. https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-4075/49/18/184003

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 12, 2016
• Publication Date: Sep 5, 2016
• Deposit Date: Sep 7, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 7, 2016
• Journal: Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
• Print ISSN: 0953-4075
• Electronic ISSN: 1361-6455
• Publisher: IOP Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 49
• Issue: 18
• Article Number: 184003
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-4075/49/18/184003
• Keywords: Rydberg, blockade, non-equilibrium, dissipation, dephasing
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/819238
• Publisher URL: http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0953-4075/49/18/184003/meta
• Additional Information: This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article published in Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at doi:10.1088/0953-4075/49/18/184003.
• Contract Date: Sep 7, 2016