Project Details
Projekt
Non-equilibrium universality in driven Rydberg gases
Subject Area
Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
Term
from 2019 to 2023
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 428458621
One of the grand challenges in modern physics is to broaden our quantitative understanding of matter to non-equilibrium scenarios, e.g., by extending some of the most successful concepts of equilibrium statistical physics such as phase transitions, critical phenomena and universality. For this, systems of ultracold atoms continuously excited to Rydberg states by a laser field offer a versatile playground, where the complex interplay between driving, dissipation and long-range interactions can give rise to complex many-body dynamics and a very rich non-equilibrium phase structure. In particular, for off-resonant driving above a critical driving strength, the system exhibits an instability as a consequence of facilitated excitation processes that drive the system to states of high excitation density. In conjunction with single particle decay this gives rise to the formation of extended excitation clusters, a non-equilibrium absorbing state phase transition and novel self-organising behaviour. Following recent experimental and theoretical breakthoughs, we now see an opportunity to make the first comprehensive determination of the universal properties associated with driven-dissipative Rydberg systems, which can be quantitatively compared with paradigmatic non-equilibrium universality classes and directly linked to theoretical models derived from the underlying microscopic physics. By performing experiments on exceptionally clean 1D and 2D atomic systems, we will measure different critical exponents and scaling relations beyond the mean field level and establish whether or not the off-resonantly driven, dissipative Rydberg system falls in the directed percolation universality class. Next we will study how the addition of slow population leakage and pumping processes leads to the emergence of a robust self-organised critical phase, making it possible to answer long standing questions such as whether self-organised criticality (SOC) constitutes true or apparent scale invariance, or whether the SOC critical properties are related to known universality classes. Finally, we will go beyond the limit of classical driving, to explore how notions of non-equilibrium universality apply in the quantum regime, thus helping to provide a comprehensive understanding on non-equilibrium universality connecting both classical and quantum worlds.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
Subproject of
SPP 1929:
Giant Interactions in Rydberg Systems (GiRyd)
International Connection
France
