Observation of multiple time crystals in a driven-dissipative system with Rydberg gas

TL;DR

This paper reports the experimental observation of multiple types of time crystals in a driven-dissipative Rydberg gas system, revealing new nonequilibrium phases and potential applications in quantum metrology.

Contribution

It demonstrates the realization of various time crystal phases in a single open quantum system through manipulation of Rydberg excitations, advancing understanding of dissipative time crystals.

Findings

Observation of continuous, sub-harmonic, and high-harmonic time crystals in Rydberg gases

Manipulation of Rydberg excitation enables control over time crystal phases

Potential for time crystals to enhance quantum sensing and parameter estimation

Abstract

Time crystals, as temporal analogs of space crystals, manifest as stable and periodic behavior that breaks time translation symmetry. In an open quantum system, many-body interaction subjected to dissipation allows one to develop the time crystalline order in an unprecedented way, as refer to dissipative time crystals. Here we report the observation of multiple time crystals in the continuously driven-dissipative and strongly interacting Rydberg thermal gases, in which continuous time crystals, sub-harmonic time crystals, and high-harmonic time crystals are observed in the same system by manipulating the Rydberg excitation. Our work provides new ways to explore the nonequilibrium phases of matter in open systems. Such time crystals with persistent oscillation rooted in emergent quantum correlations, may emerge as a ubiquitous tool in quantum metrology, for instance, continuous sensing and parameter estimation surpassing the standard quantum limit.