This Research Letter reports on the observation of superradiance decoherence caused by long-range dipole-dipole interactions between Rydberg atoms. A cold atom cloud is prepared in the mode volume of a weakly driven optical cavity and excited to a Rydberg state. The cavity transmission monitors the Rydberg dynamics in real time and detects superradiant enhancement of the transition rates between neighboring Rydberg states. The observed enhancement is reduced for increasing Rydberg atom density: a signature of atom pair interactions. The observations are explained within a model based on the idea of Rydberg blockade reducing the atom number participating in the Dicke state, responsible for superradiance.

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• Atoms, ions, & molecules in cavities
• Collective effects in quantum optics
• Long-range interactions
• Superradiance & subradiance
• Rydberg atoms & molecules
• Ultracold gases