Quantum Zeno suppression of dipole-dipole forces

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that continuous quantum measurement can suppress dipole-dipole forces between Rydberg atoms, leading to a Zeno-like arrest of their interactions and enabling controlled state manipulation.

Contribution

It introduces a method to control inter-atomic forces via quantum Zeno effect using decoherence from background gas interactions.

Findings

Decoherence deteriorates the molecular energy surface.

Strong decoherence causes a Zeno-like arrest of forces.

Short pulses enable controlled population redistribution.

Abstract

We consider inter-atomic forces due to resonant dipole-dipole interactions within a dimer of highly excited Rydberg atoms, embedded in an ultra-cold gas. These forces rely on a coherent superposition of two-atom electronic states, which is destroyed by continuous monitoring of the dimer state through a detection scheme utilizing controllable interactions with the background gas atoms. We show that this intrinsic decoherence of the molecular energy surface can gradually deteriorate a repulsive dimer state, causing a mixing of attractive and repulsive character. For sufficiently strong decoherence, a Zeno-like effect causes a complete arrest of interatomic forces. We finally show how short decohering pulses can controllably redistribute population between the different molecular energy surfaces.