Stark modulated Rydberg dissipative time crystals at room temperature applied to sub-kHz electric field sensing

Area of Science:

• Quantum optics
• Condensed matter physics
• Atomic physics

Background:

• Out-of-equilibrium Rydberg gases show emergent phases and sustained oscillations (OSC) forming dissipative time crystals (DTCs) at room temperature.
• These DTCs are driven by B-fields and exhibit mode competition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of DC and AC Stark fields for controlling DTC oscillation frequencies.
• To develop a novel method for detecting weak AC electric fields in the sub-kHz regime using frequency modulation (FM).

Main Methods:

• Applied DC and AC Stark fields in the sub-kHz regime to Rydberg DTCs.
• Utilized frequency modulation (FM) of OSC spectrum for AC electric field detection.
• Measured DC electric fields via Stark-induced shifts in oscillation frequency.

Main Results:

• Achieved precise control over DTC oscillation frequency using Stark fields.
• Demonstrated narrowband detection of weak AC electric fields with a sensitivity of ~7.8µVcm⁻¹Hz⁻¹/² at 300 Hz.
• Showed improved sensitivity (~8.7x) compared to state-of-the-art in the sub-kHz regime.

Conclusions:

• Stark field control offers a powerful method for controllable time-domain dynamics in room-temperature Rydberg systems.
• Developed a new class of ultra-compact Rydberg-based electric-field sensors effective in the DC-600 Hz regime.
• This approach overcomes limitations of classical antennas at ultra-low frequencies, opening opportunities in remote sensing, communications, and geophysics.