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Frustrated Rydberg Atom Arrays Meet Cavity QED: Emergence of the Superradiant Clock Phase
Ying Liang1, Bao-Yun Dong1, Zijian Xiong2
1Chongqing University, Department of Physics, and Chongqing Key Laboratory for Strongly Coupled Physics, Chongqing 401331, China.
Physical Review Letters
|March 6, 2026
Summary
Rydberg atoms in optical cavities reveal a new superradiant clock phase, driven by light-matter interactions. This quantum phase transition challenges previous models and opens new research in quantum optics.
Area of Science:
- Quantum optics
- Condensed matter physics
- Atomic physics
Background:
- Rydberg atoms in optical cavities offer a platform to study geometric frustration and photon interactions.
- Understanding quantum phase transitions is crucial for developing quantum technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ground state phase diagram of Rydberg atom triangular arrays in an optical cavity.
- To explore the interplay between geometric frustration, quantized photons, and light-matter interactions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a large-scale quantum Monte Carlo method.
- Applied Ginzburg-Landau theory to analyze phase transitions.
- Interpreted low-energy physics using dimer language.
Main Results:
- Discovered a novel order-coexisted superradiant clock phase at half-filling, driven by long-range light-matter interactions.
- Observed the destruction of the order-by-disorder phase seen with classical light fields.
- Identified a first-order phase transition at the Z_{2} symmetry line due to nonzero photon density.
Conclusions:
- The study reveals a new quantum phase transition in many-body quantum optics.
- Cavity-mediated interactions are proposed as key drivers of emergent phenomena.
- This research opens new avenues for exploring quantum phase transitions in optical systems.
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