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Updated: May 28, 2026

Gradient Echo Quantum Memory in Warm Atomic Vapor
Published on: November 11, 2013
Imaging spatial correlations of Rydberg excitations in cold atom clouds
A Schwarzkopf1, R E Sapiro, G Raithel
1FOCUS Center, Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
Abstract:
We use direct spatial imaging of cold 85Rb Rydberg atom clouds to measure the Rydberg-Rydberg correlation function. The results are in qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions [F. Robicheaux and J. V. Hernández, Phys. Rev. A 72, 063403 (2005)]. We determine the blockade radius for states 44D(5/2), 60D(5/2), and 70D(5/2) and investigate the dependence of the correlation behavior on excitation conditions and detection delay. Experimental data hint at the existence of long-range order.
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