Dissociation and the Development of Spatial Correlation in a Molecular Ultracold Plasma

Sadeghi, H.; Kruyen, Ahj; Hung, Jachin; Gurian, J. H.; Morrison, J. P.; Schulz-Weiling, Markus; Saquet, Nicolas; Rennick, Chris; Grant, Edward R.

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.112.075001

Cited by 32 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…(1) A rapid sequence of electron transfer processes acts to redistribute the directed momentum of the ions over the entire population of Rydberg molecules and ions [37]. The heavy particles relax to correlated positions [19], and the two volumes stream as a whole in opposite directions.…”

Section: Plasma Evolution In a Rydberg Gas Of Non-uniform Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As their relative velocities approach zero, ions and Rydberg molecules naturally move to positions of minimum potential energy. These spatial correlations deplete the leading and trailing edges of the initially random distribution of nearest neighbours in the Rydberg gas [19], forming a random, three-dimensional network in which the distribution of NO + /NO + distances, r, (referring both to Rydberg molecules and bare ions) peaks sharply at a Wigner-Seitz radius, determined by the density by a ws = (3/4πρ) 1/3 . The plasma thus self-assembles to form a correlated spatial distribution of intermolecular distances dictated entirely by internal forces.…”

Section: Bifurcation As Quench: Transition To a State Of Arrested Relmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Arrested relaxation in an isolated molecular ultracold plasma

et al. 2017

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Spontaneous avalanche to plasma splits the core of an ellipsoidal Rydberg gas of nitric oxide. Ambipolar expansion first quenches the electron temperature of this core plasma. Then, long-range, resonant charge transfer from ballistic ions to frozen Rydberg molecules in the wings of the ellipsoid quenches the centre-of-mass ion/Rydberg molecule velocity distribution. This sequence of steps gives rise to a remarkable mechanics of self-assembly, in which the kinetic energy of initially formed hot electrons and ions drives an observed separation of plasma volumes. These dynamics adiabatically sequester energy in a reservoir of mass transport, starting a process that anneals separating volumes to form an apparent glass of strongly coupled ions and electrons. Short-time electron spectroscopy provides experimental evidence for complete ionization. The long lifetime of this system, particularly its stability with respect to recombination and neutral dissociation, suggests that this transformation affords a robust state of arrested relaxation, far from thermal equilibrium.

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Section: Plasma Evolution In a Rydberg Gas Of Non-uniform Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Bifurcation As Quench: Transition To a State Of Arrested Relmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arrested relaxation in an isolated molecular ultracold plasma

et al. 2017

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“…Single-particle basis states From time-resolved SFI spectra, we find that the ellipsoidal nitric oxide Rydberg gas avalanches to a plasma, bifurcates, quenches, and compresses to form the same final state of ultracold NO + ions, electrons and Rydberg molecules, regardless of the initial principal quantum number or density. Spatial correlation develops by virtue of Penning ionization coupled with dissociation during the avalanche to plasma [36], and momentum matching via charge exchange as the plasma undergoes bifurcation and quench. We can assume that the combination of these effects gives rise to an emergent lattice of NO + charge centres [42].…”

Section: Experimental Evidence For a State Of Arrested Relaxationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In an experimental test of this question, we have studied the dynamics of a state-selected Rydberg gas of nitric oxide as it evolves to form a plasma [33][34][35][36]. On a microsecond timescale, this plasma bifurcates, irreversibly disposing electron energy to a reservoir of mass transport [37].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Many-body physics with ultracold plasmas: quenched randomness and localization

Sous

Grant

2019

New J. Phys.

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The exploration of large-scale many-body phenomena in quantum materials has produced many important experimental discoveries, including novel states of entanglement, topology and quantum order as found for example in quantum spin ices, topological insulators and semimetals, complex magnets, and high-T c superconductors. Yet, the sheer scale of solid-state systems and the difficulty of exercising exacting control of their quantum mechanical degrees of freedom limit the pace of rational progress in advancing the properties of these and other materials. With extraordinary effort to counteract natural processes of dissipation, precisely engineered ultracold quantum simulators could point the way to exotic new materials. Here, we look instead to the quantum mechanical character of the arrested state formed by a quenched ultracold molecular plasma. This novel class of system arises spontaneously, without a deliberate engineering of interactions, and evolves naturally from statespecified initial conditions, to a long-lived final state of canonical density, in a process that conflicts with classical notions of plasma dissipation and neutral dissociation. We take information from experimental observations to develop a conceptual argument that attempts to explain this state of arrested relaxation in terms of a minimal phenomenological model of randomly interacting dipoles of random energies. This model of the plasma forms a starting point to describe its observed absence of relaxation in terms of many-body localization (MBL). The large number of accessible Rydberg and excitonic states gives rise to an unconventional web of many-body interactions that vastly exceeds the complexity of MBL in a conventional few-level scheme. This experimental platform thus opens an avenue for the coupling of dipoles in disordered environments that will demand the development of new theoretical tools.

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“…Plasmas formed in supersonic molecular beams at orders of magnitude higher density exhibit slower expansions, sug gesting lower electron temperature [9][10][11][12], These results do not agree with classical MD simulations, which hold that correlation heating alone suffices to limit Fc to values smaller than 0.5 [13,14], This raises two questions: Do the ions formed at the density of a molecular beam ultracold plasma undergo a conventional ambipolar expansion driven by the electron gas; and does the kinetic energy of this electron gas fit with the temperature suggested by the observed rate of this expansion?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of colliding ultracold plasmas

Morrison

Grant

2015

Phys. Rev. A

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Formation of a secondary plasma of NO" ions and electrons within an ultracold plasma produces an observable change in the hydrodynamics of the system. Direct photoionization adds energetic electrons, which increases the rate of expansion. The introduction of a secondary Rydberg gas has the opposite effect. In both cases, the added ions create an inertial drag that acts initially to retard the expansion of the electron gas. A cold-ion hydrodynamic shell model, which accounts well for the effect of energy added by photoionization electrons, predicts the formation of collisionless shock waves.

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Dissociation and the Development of Spatial Correlation in a Molecular Ultracold Plasma

Cited by 32 publications

References 28 publications

Arrested relaxation in an isolated molecular ultracold plasma

Arrested relaxation in an isolated molecular ultracold plasma

Many-body physics with ultracold plasmas: quenched randomness and localization

Dynamics of colliding ultracold plasmas

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