Honors College Theses

Publication Date

2026

Major

Physics (B.S.P.)

Release Option

Open Access

Faculty Mentor

Mark Edwards

Abstract

Rydberg atoms, hydrogen-like atoms that can be excited to states of high principal quantum number that carry correspondingly large electric dipole moments, have become leading candidates for precision electric field sensing. Arrays of such atoms, each trapped in a focused laser beam called an “optical tweezer,” are a particularly promising platform, since the strong dipole-dipole interactions between neighboring atoms provide a resource unavailable in a single-atom sensor. This thesis develops a theoretical and numerical framework for electric field measurement in small Rydberg atom arrays. We begin with a two-level model of a single atom, derive the Hamiltonian and equations of motion for an array, and characterize the interatomic coupling in the van der Waals regime. Within this framework, we first model electric-field measurements with a single atom using Rabi and Ramsey sequences, then extend the analysis to two interacting atoms in the facilitation regime, where the dipole-dipole shift compensates the laser detuning so that exciting one atom brings its neighbor into resonance. Because this resonance condition depends sharply on the interaction strength, and hence on the local field, it provides a natural mechanism for enhanced sensing. Finally, we address a practical limitation of these protocols by designing a π/2 pulse that remains functional in the presence of interaction-induced shifts. These results establish facilitation dynamics as a viable route toward multi-atom quantum sensors with sensitivity beyond what single-atom protocols can achieve.

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