Dissipative time crystal in a thermal Rydberg gas based on microwave dressing
Phys. Rev. A 113, 053116 – Published 27 May, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/yb4y-lwzm
Abstract
Time crystals (TC) can spontaneously break time translational symmetry, which have been studied and recently observed in different experimental platforms. The microwave dressing technique can be used to manipulate and enhance Rydberg-Rydberg interactions in an atomic ensemble, which provides a control knob for manipulating the system's dynamics. Here, we report the observation of a time-crystalline phase in a thermal Rydberg gas based on microwave dressing. The emergence and evolution of TC can be manipulated by many experimental parameters such as the power and the detuning of the microwave and the frequency detuning of optical fields. This research provides a platform for engineering interatomic interactions and investigating nonlinear dynamics, which has potential applications for quantum precision measurement and quantum simulation.
