The interactions between Rydberg atoms and microwave fields provide a valuable framework for studying the complex dynamics out of equilibrium, exotic phases, and critical phenomena in many-body physics. This unique interplay allows us to explore various regimes of nonlinearity and phase transitions. Here, we observe a phase transition from the state in the regime of bistability to that in multistability in strongly interacting Rydberg atoms by varying the microwave field intensity, accompanying with the breaking of Z3-symmetry. During the phase transition, the system experiences a hidden critical point, in which the multistable states are difficult to be identified. Through changing the initial state of system, we can identify a hidden multistable state and reveal a hidden trajectory of phase transition, allowing us to track to a hidden critical point. In addition, we observe multiple phase transitions in spectra, suggesting higher-order symmetry breaking. The reported results shed light on manipulating multistability in dissipative Rydberg atoms systems and hold promise in the applications of non-equilibrium many-body physics.

The pursuit of unprecedented sensitivity in quantum enhanced metrology has spurred interest in non-equilibrium quantum phases of matter and their symmetry breaking. In particular, criticality-enhanced metrology through time-translation symmetry breaking in many-body systems, a distinct paradigm compared to spatial symmetry breaking, is a field still in its infancy. Here, we have investigated the enhanced sensing at the boundary of a continuous time-crystal (CTC) phase in a driven Rydberg atomic gas. By mapping the full phase diagram, we identify the parameter-dependent phase boundary where the time-translation symmetry is broken. This allows us to use a single setup for measuring multiple parameters, in particular frequency and amplitude of a microwave field. By increasing the microwave field amplitude, we first observe a phase transition from a thermal phase to a CTC phase, followed by a second transition into a distinct CTC state, characterized by a different oscillation frequency. Furthermore, we reveal the precise relationship between the CTC phase boundary and the scanning rate, displaying enhanced precision beyond the Standard Quantum Limit. This work not only provides a promising paradigm rooted in the critical properties of time crystals, but also advances a method for multi-parameter sensing in non-equilibrium quantum phases.

Processing in memory (PIM) has received significant attention due to its high efficiency, low latency, and parallelism. In optical computation, coherent memory is a crucial infrastructure for PIM frameworks. This study presents an all-optical convolution experiment conducted within computational storage based on a cold atomic ensemble. By exploiting the light-atom phase transfer facilitated by the electromagnetically induced transparency, we demonstrated spiral phase contrast processing of photon images in memory, resulting in the edge enhancement of retrieved images recorded using time-correlated photon imaging. In particular, adopting state-of-the-art atomic techniques provides a coherent memory lifetime exceeding 320 us for PIM operations. Our results highlight the significant potential of cold atomic ensembles as computational storage for developing all-optical PIM systems.

The quantum Zeno effect (QZE) reveals that frequent measurements can suppress quantum evolution; however, the impact of measurements on the real-space motion of a single atom remains insufficiently explored experimentally. In this work, we employ an optical trap as a measurement pulse and, by monitoring atomic loss, directly observe the QZE in the real-space motion of a single atom. We find that the action of measurement on the atom consists of a projective measurement followed by subsequent periodic unitary evolution, thereby providing an intuitive physical picture of measurement backaction across different timescales. We further investigate the effects of measurement frequency, strength, and spatial position, demonstrating that measurements pulse not only suppress the spatial spreading of the quantum state but also enable deterministic preparation of distinct motional states. Moreover, by dynamically controlling the trap position, we realize measurement-induced directional transport of a single atom, with a velocity exceeding the maximum allowed by the adiabatic condition. Overall, our results provide a direct experimental demonstration of the QZE in real space and establish a versatile framework for measurement-based control of atomic motion, opening new possibilities for motional-state engineering in cold-atom systems.

String breaking is one of the most representative non-perturbative dynamics processes in confinement theory, typically associated with the creation of particle-antiparticle pairs. In this paper, we take a one-dimensional Rydberg atomic chain to theoretically study the dynamical of finite-length string state. Under different string tension conditions, we find that the string dynamics exhibits two clearly distinguishable evolution characteristics: one is that the string breaks and the system enters a superposition state space containing multiple meson state configurations; the other is localized string dynamics, in which the string undergoes local breaking but can then recombine and return to a state close to the initial structure, with the breaking and recombination processes recurring over a long time scale. Through the analysis of the evolution of different meson state configurations, we visually depict the redistribution of configuration weights during the string breaking process, and reveal the observable recovery characteristics of the string after breaking. Further analysis shows that the enhancement of quantum fluctuations can increase the weight of the double-meson state configurations in the system wave function without changing the dominant dynamical behavior. The above results present a rich picture of string breaking dynamics in a one-dimensional Rydberg atomic chain and provide insights for studying confinement physics and related gauge field theory phenomena on quantum simulation platforms.

Rydberg-atomic receivers exhibit exceptional sensitivity yet are fundamentally constrained by the narrow instantaneous bandwidth, limiting their practical deployment in broadband scenarios. Prior approaches typically expand the bandwidth by physically broadening the atomic response, which usually requires auxiliary electromagnetic fields or stringent parameter tuning, thereby increasing overall system complexity. Here, we propose a compressive spectral multiplexing framework implemented in a waveguide-coupled Rydberg atomic receiver using a frequency-modulated local oscillator (FMLO). The FMLO creates multiple parallel sensing channels that collectively constitute a physical compressive sensing matrix, generating multiple narrowband intermediate-frequency replicas of the input signal. Thus, a broadband microwave spectrum is projected onto a set of narrowband atomic responses. It is demonstrated that spectral information spanning a bandwidth of over 640 MHz can be effectively compressed into the intrinsic atomic bandwidth of 126 kHz, achieving a spectrum compression ratio exceeding 1000. Furthermore, these output replicas offer intrinsic measurement redundancy and facilitate signal-to-noise ratio enhancement. An approximate 10 dB gain is achieved in the required bit-energy-to-noise-power-density ratio for multi-channel communication via maximal-ratio combining. This approach requires no auxiliary fields or broadband electronics, providing a simple and scalable pathway for chip-scale quantum receivers, latency-critical sensing, and next-generation wireless communications.

The dynamical trajectory of a dissipative Rydberg many-body system could be flipped under a microwave field driving, displaying an enhanced sensitivity. This is because the intersection of the folded hysteresis trajectories exhibits a sharp peak near the phase transition, amplifying the response to small changes in the microwave field. Here, we demonstrate an experiment of enhanced metrology through flipping the hysteresis trajectory in a cold atomic system, displaying an approach to improve sensitivity by the gap-closing points. By measuring the intersection points of hysteresis trajectories versus Rabi frequency of the microwave field, we quantify the equivalent sensitivity to be 1.6(5) nV cm−1Hz−1/2. The measurement is also dependent on the interaction time, optical depth and principal quantum number since the long-range interaction between Rydberg atoms could dramatically change the shape of hysteresis trajectories. The reported results suggest that flipping trajectory features in cold Rydberg many-body systems could advance sensing and metrology applications. Dissipative many body systems provide quantum-enhanced sensitivity to external near gap-closing points. Here, the authors demonstrate record sensitivity in a Rydberg-atomic platform in correspondence of folded hysteresis trajectories under external microwave driving

Continuous time crystals (CTCs) represent a nonequilibrium quantum phase that spontaneously breaks time-translation symmetry without periodic external driving, manifesting as persistent, long-lived oscillations under steady pumping. The lifetime is constrained by the instability of the limit cycle phase, balanced between nonlinear feedback and energy dissipation, which have rarely been studied in experiments before. Here, we report an observation of an ultralong-lived Rydberg-atom CTC in a driven-dissipative many-body atomic system. By harnessing long-range interactions and engineering a dissipative environment that stabilizes the limit-cycle dynamics, we suppress heating and decay effects that typically destroy time-crystalline order. The key factor underlying the ultralong-lived CTC is the closing of the Liouvillian gap and the near-zero real part of the system's Liouvillian eigenspectrum. Through systematic optimization, we achieve an oscillatory lifetime exceeding 16.95 hours-orders of magnitude longer than previous CTC realizations. Our work establishes a robust platform for exploring long-lived autonomous nonequilibrium phases and paves the way for applications in quantum sensing and continuous-time quantum information processing.

Partial discharge originates from microscopic insulation imperfections in high-voltage apparatus and is widely considered a critical marker of incipient deterioration. Conventional partial discharge detection methods are typically constrained by limited bandwidth and often rely on predefined feature extraction, which impedes reliable recognition of broadband transient signals. In this work, we employ a Rydberg atomic sensor to directly capture time-domain responses of partial discharge emissions and construct distinctive spectral fingerprints for different types. A 1D ResNet deep learning model is then applied to recognize these fingerprints from time-domain signals without manual feature engineering. Under increased source-antenna distances, where spectral features are significantly attenuated, the model attains a recognition accuracy of approximately 94% across four partial discharge categories, demonstrating robustness to attenuation and noise. We further validate the approach in a simulated early-warning scenario, where partial discharge signals mixed with noise are analyzed, and the model successfully generates predictive alarms. These results underscore the potential of integrating Rydberg-based broadband sensing with data-driven analysis for non-invasive, high-sensitivity diagnostics of electrical insulation systems.

Detecting and controlling the chirality of matter play an essential role in exploring nature, providing previously unexplored avenues for matter discrimination and quantum manipulation. In such tasks, chiral probes are essential in defining or enhancing the chiral dichroism response. However, overlooking their influence on the symmetry of the medium hampers the ability to deterministically induce electromagnetic chirality. Here, we propose a simple yet versatile all-optical chirality transfer method to generate and manipulate the electromagnetic chirality of a neutral atomic medium. By inducing chirality-dependent dispersion in the atomic system, our method enables deterministic and tunable control of chirality transfer via a helical field. We theoretically analyze the mechanism of this optically induced symmetry breaking and experimentally demonstrate the helicity-dependent response of the medium. Our results show that the induced chirality can be effectively suppressed or enhanced, enabling deterministic electromagnetic enantioselection. This approach opens an efficient pathway for manipulating chiral symmetry breaking in light-matter interactions.

Non-Hermitian physics exhibits unique physical properties beyond those of traditional Hermitian systems, such as symmetry breaking, the emergence of exceptional points, topological phase transitions, and more. These phenomena have been extensively studied across various platforms, including quantum optics, cold atom systems, superconducting circuits, and condensed matter physics. Rydberg atoms, with their long-range interactions and flexible controllability, provide a promising platform for the experimental realization of non-Hermitian physics. This review primarily summarizes the key experimental and theoretical achievements in the field of non-Hermitian physics within Rydberg atomic systems in recent years. It outlines the fundamental construction of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, reveals the effective dissipation mechanisms induced by Rydberg atomic interactions, and discusses their impact on spectral properties and symmetry breaking. These studies not only deepen the understanding of quantum phase transitions in non-Hermitian many-body systems but also highlight the unique value of Rydberg atomic platforms in realizing and controlling topological states.

Ultra-broadband anti-jamming communication can support secure information transfer through spread-spectrum techniques that resist interference and interception. Waveguide-coupled Rydberg atoms enable ultra-broadband spectrum sensing without conventional RF front-end components. This framework provides an experimental platform for ultra-wide anti-jamming communication. Here we demonstrate real-time signal demodulation based on frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) in a waveguide-coupled Rydberg receiver, achieving frequency hopping across 100 kHz to 20 GHz and a maximum hopping rate of 100 khop/s. Within the 2.4 GHz ISM band, our system achieves a channel density of  ~ 8 channels per MHz. Beyond this, by leveraging its ultra-broad and continuous bandwidth, the system supports over 150,000 channels. Experimental results show a 51 dB improvement in narrowband interference tolerance compared with single-frequency systems, confirming its strong anti-jamming capability. The reported system demonstrates potential for secure communications based on quantum technology, particularly in complex electromagnetic environments.

Irreversible quantum information loss is a key issue for understanding nonequilibrium evolution and reliable quantum state preparation in open many-body systems. By using a time-reversal scheme, we investigate spatially nonuniform information loss in a one-dimensional Rydberg atom array. We define defect density operators based on local configurations and use entanglement entropy to measure the effects of system size and boundary constraints on information loss. It is found that central sites in the array lose more quantum information during forward evolution and edge sites retain higher residual entropy after time reversal. Array parity further affects defect generation, with even-sized arrays exhibiting stronger information loss than odd ones due to geometric frustration. The interplay between nonadiabatic excitations and dissipation during the detuning sweep is analyzed. An optimal sweep rate is identified to minimize defect formation in the dynamic process. These results provide a spatially resolved approach to understand the nonequilibrium dynamics and optimize the state preparation in open Rydberg platforms.

A Moiré time crystal is a non-equilibrium quantum phase emerging from the coherent interference of two distinct frequencies, at least one being the intrinsic oscillation of a symmetry-broken time crystal. Its hallmark is an ultra-long beat period, reflecting a time-domain mapping of the Moiré fringes that arise from mismatched spatial lattices. However, to date, no experimental realization of such a Moiré time crystal has been reported. In this work, by applying a bichromatic driving field with two distinct frequencies, we demonstrate that the interplay between long-range Rydberg interactions and dissipation gives rise to a unique comb-like Moiré pattern characterized by a beat-note comb, which superimposes subharmonic periodicity and fundamental frequencies. This Moiré pattern formed by two mismatched drives is staggered in the spectrum as the frequency of one driver changes. We experimentally map the phase diagram of the system and identify a robust region where the Moiré temporal order persists against perturbations in laser detuning. The reported Moiré time crystal not only provides a controllable platform for exploring emergent slow-fast dynamics and synthetic space-time symmetries but also opens avenues for engineering complex temporal order in driven quantum many-body systems.

The pursuit of topological phenomena in non-Hermitian systems has unveiled new physics beyond the conventional Hermitian paradigm, yet their realization in interacting many-body platforms remains a critical challenge. Exploring this interplay is essential to understand how strong interactions and dissipation collectively shape topological phases in open quantum systems. Here, we experimentally demonstrate non-Hermitian spectra topology in a dissipative Rydberg atomic gas and characterize parameters-dependent winding numbers. By increasing the interaction strength, the system evolves from Hermitian to non-Hermitian regime, accompanying emergence of trajectory loop in the complex energy plane. As the scanning time is varied, the spectra topology becomes twisted in the complex energy plane manifesting as a topology phase transition with the sign winding number changed. When preparing the system in different initial states, we can access a nontrivial fractional phase within a parameter space that globally possesses an integer winding. Furthermore, by changing the scanning direction, we observe the differentiated loops, revealing the breaking of chirality symmetry. This work establishes cold Rydberg gases as a versatile platform for exploring the rich interplay between non-Hermitian topology, strong interactions, and dissipative quantum dynamics.

Hilbert space fragmentation induced by dynamical constraints has emerged as a novel mechanism underlying nonergodic behavior in quantum many-body systems. Focusing on this phenomenon, we report a parameterdependent Hilbert space fragmentation of the one-dimensional Rydberg atom array in the antiblockade regime. We explicitly identify and classify a set of distinct nonequilibrium dynamical phases in the parameter space and analyze their dynamical characteristics. We point out that their quasiperiodic behavior is jointly governed by multipath excitation interference and multiphoton cascaded excitation structures, further revealing fundamental differences in the state connectivity structure and effective dimensionality of the corresponding subspaces. By constructing a complete fragmented quantum phase diagram, we clearly delineate the transition of the Hilbert space from global thermalization to fragmented behavior. Furthermore, we demonstrate the process of secondary fragmentation that enables additional control over the accessible subspaces through local constraints. This work demonstrates the potential of realizing highly programmable nonthermal dynamics through antiblockade mechanisms, providing a theoretical foundation for the exploration and control of exotic nonequilibrium quantum phases in many-body systems.

In this Letter, we show that constrained many-body dynamics in Rydberg atom arrays naturally gives rise to a quantum hashing mechanism. By encoding ternary strings into deterministic trajectories in the state space, the classical information space is mapped onto a quantum state ensemble in the Hilbert space with an induced geometric structure. Statistical analysis reveals that this ensemble exhibits high probability near-orthogonality, random-like distribution, and broad geometric coverage. These geometric features naturally give rise to the essential cryptographic properties of quantum hashing, including low collision probability, one-wayness, tamper sensitivity, and privacy preservation. Our results demonstrate that the cryptographic functionality of quantum hashing need not rely on deliberately engineered algorithms, but can instead emerge naturally from constrained many-body dynamics, identifying quantum dynamics itself as a physical resource for cryptographic information processing.

Discrete time quasicrystals (DTQC) constitute a class of non-equilibrium matter characterized by temporal order without strict periodicity, in contrast to conventional time crystals. Investigating these phenomena is essential for expanding our fundamental understanding of far-from-equilibrium quantum matter and spontaneous symmetry breaking beyond periodic regimes. Here, we experimentally observe a DTQC in a driven-dissipative ensemble of strongly interacting Rydberg atoms, displaying non-equilibrium dynamical response with a different finite Abelian group symmetry Z m × Z n . By applying a quasiperiodic drive using a dual-frequency drive with incommensurate frequencies, we demonstrate that the system exhibits a robust subharmonic response at multiple incommensurate frequencies, signifying the emergence of a DTQC phase. We map the full phase diagram of the system, which includes the DTQC phase, and demonstrate its rigidity against perturbations in both RF field intensity and laser detuning. Moreover, we observe a cyclic group symmetry effect that constrains the construction of Z 2 × Z 3 -symmetric DTQC. This work establishes a versatile platform for studying non-equilibrium phases of matter and provides insights into the dynamics of time-translation symmetry breaking in quantum many-body systems.

To address the pressing need for high-sensitivity,miniaturized electric field sensors in the short-wave communication band(3-30 MHz),this study proposes and demonstrates a radio frequency electric field quantum sensing scheme based on cesium atomic Rydberg states and the electromagnetically induced transparency(EIT)effect.The scheme employs an all-infrared optical design,utilizing 852 nm probe light,1470 nm dressing light,and 780 nm coupling light to efficiently prepare the 49P3/2 Rydberg state in a room-temperature cesium vapor cell,which is then probed non-destructively via ladder-type four-level EIT spectroscopy. The 10 MHz RF field is non-resonant with adjacent Rydberg atomic energy levels,this work innovatively utilizes the alternating current(AC)Stark shift effect as the sensing mechanism.Real-time monitoring of the spectral shift of the Rydberg-EIT peak with the applied electric field strength enables direct electric field metrology.The evolution of the EIT spectrum was experimentally observed under electric fields ranging from 0 to 500 V/m:at weak fields(＜20 V/m),the spectrum primarily exhibits shifting and broadening;at moderate fields(20-100 V/m),oscillations indicative of dissipative time crystals emerge due to multi-Rydberg-level competition;at stronger fields,spectral splitting and modulation sidebands appear. To further enhance the detection sensitivity for weak signals,a non-resonant superheterodyne detection technique was introduced.A local oscillator(LO)electric field at 10.1 MHz and the signal field at 10 MHz are simultaneously coupled into the atomic system.The atomic medium's amplified response to their beat note signal(Δω=100 kHz)down-converts the signal of interest to a lower,more easily detectable frequency domain.Precise measurement of the beat note signal strength enables high-sensitivity demodulation of the signal electric field. Experimental results demonstrate outstanding sensing performance at 10 MHz:an electric field sensitivity of 31.0 μV·cm-1·Hz-1/2,a dynamic range of 65 dB,and an instantaneous bandwidth of approximately 0.6 MHz.This study develops a precise electric field measurement method for the MHz frequency band based on Rydberg atoms.Its centimeter-scale sensing unit overcomes the trade-off between size and sensitivity inherent in traditional antennas,offering a new technological pathway for miniaturized,high-sensitivity electric field sensors in applications such as short-wave communication,marine,and aeronautical navigation.

Abstract Ultralong-range Rydberg molecules (ULRMs) have attracted significant interest due to their unique formation mechanisms and distinctive properties. We theoretically investigate the formation and characteristics of heteronuclear ULRMs, focusing on Rb-Cs systems. We calculate the vibrational energy levels of $nS$ heteronuclear ULRMs and extend our analysis to polyatomic systems, tracing the evolution of binding energies as the molecular configuration changes. Our theoretical results are presented in terms of potential energy curves and the associated vibrational spectra, providing insight into the formation dynamics of these systems. These results also provide a framework for experimental efforts in probing heteronuclear ULRMs, which serve as a sensitive platform for investigating the fundamental properties of Rydberg atoms and their interactions with ground-state atoms, while providing a benchmark for \textit{ab initio} calculations.