Temporal Crystal Created Using Rubidium Rydberg Atoms

Irradiating Rubidia atoms with lasers, physicists excited them to the “chubby” state of Reidberg in an experiment, leading to the creation of an exotic state of matter known as a temporary crystal.

This breakthrough opens up new opportunities for studying the properties of temporary crystals, as well as phenomena like quantum fluctuations, correlation, and synchronization that are crucial for the advancement of quantum computers.

First described by American theoretical physicist Frank Wilchek in 2012, temporary chain crusts are movements of particles repeated in time, akin to how crystals like diamond and quartz repeat particle structures in space.

Although the initial theory depicted patterns that repeated endlessly, experimental implementation of “temporary” versions was successful, observed by various groups of physicists. These experiments detected oscillatory patterns distinct from the external rhythms associated with crystals, confirming the presence of self-organizing temporary structures in crystalline systems and paving the way for studying condensed media dynamics and quantum phenomena.

A new type of temporary crystal was generated from gaseous Rubidia at room temperature inside a glass chamber. The group of physicists led by Xiaoling Wu, Zhucin Van, and Fan Yana from the University of Tsinhua in China utilized laser radiation to excite atoms to Reidberg states. In these states, atoms’ external electrons expand orbits around the nucleus, enlarging the atom’s size hundreds of times.

Even though the atoms remain microscopic, such expansion notably affects their interactions in the confined space of the glass chamber. Forces are significantly enhanced in Reidberg states, altering their engagement with laser radiation. By precisely adjusting the laser to simultaneously excite two distinct states of Reidberg, a feedback loop forms in each atom, triggering spontaneous oscillations between these atomic conditions and resulting in light absorption fluctuations.

Throughout the experiment, despite consistent laser radiation intensity, measurements on the opposite side of the chamber revealed signs of atomic oscillations between excited and less excited states, indicative of a temporary crystal.

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