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Direct observation of ultrafast many-body electron dynamics in an ultracold Rydberg gas

Author

Listed:
  • Nobuyuki Takei

    (Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
    SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies))

  • Christian Sommer

    (Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
    SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies))

  • Claudiu Genes

    (Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Innsbruck)

  • Guido Pupillo

    (IPCMS (UMR 7504) and ISIS (UMR 7006), University of Strasbourg and CNRS)

  • Haruka Goto

    (Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences)

  • Kuniaki Koyasu

    (Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
    SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies))

  • Hisashi Chiba

    (Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
    Faculty of Engineering, Iwate University)

  • Matthias Weidemüller

    (Physikalisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg
    University of Science and Technology of China
    CAS Center for Excellence and Synergetic Innovation Center in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Kenji Ohmori

    (Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
    SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies))

Abstract

Many-body correlations govern a variety of important quantum phenomena such as the emergence of superconductivity and magnetism. Understanding quantum many-body systems is thus one of the central goals of modern sciences. Here we demonstrate an experimental approach towards this goal by utilizing an ultracold Rydberg gas generated with a broadband picosecond laser pulse. We follow the ultrafast evolution of its electronic coherence by time-domain Ramsey interferometry with attosecond precision. The observed electronic coherence shows an ultrafast oscillation with a period of 1 femtosecond, whose phase shift on the attosecond timescale is consistent with many-body correlations among Rydberg atoms beyond mean-field approximations. This coherent and ultrafast many-body dynamics is actively controlled by tuning the orbital size and population of the Rydberg state, as well as the mean atomic distance. Our approach will offer a versatile platform to observe and manipulate non-equilibrium dynamics of quantum many-body systems on the ultrafast timescale.

Suggested Citation

  • Nobuyuki Takei & Christian Sommer & Claudiu Genes & Guido Pupillo & Haruka Goto & Kuniaki Koyasu & Hisashi Chiba & Matthias Weidemüller & Kenji Ohmori, 2016. "Direct observation of ultrafast many-body electron dynamics in an ultracold Rydberg gas," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13449
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13449
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