Bifurcation of time crystals in driven and dissipative Rydberg atomic gas
Abstract A time crystal is an exotic phase of matter where time-translational symmetry is broken; this phase differs from the spatial symmetry breaking induced in conventional crystals. Lots of experiments report the transition from a thermal equilibrium phase to a time crystal phase. However, there...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56712-1 |
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| author | Bang Liu Li-Hua Zhang Yu Ma Qi-Feng Wang Tian-Yu Han Jun Zhang Zheng-Yuan Zhang Shi-Yao Shao Qing Li Han-Chao Chen Guang-Can Guo Dong-Sheng Ding Bao-Sen Shi |
| author_facet | Bang Liu Li-Hua Zhang Yu Ma Qi-Feng Wang Tian-Yu Han Jun Zhang Zheng-Yuan Zhang Shi-Yao Shao Qing Li Han-Chao Chen Guang-Can Guo Dong-Sheng Ding Bao-Sen Shi |
| author_sort | Bang Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract A time crystal is an exotic phase of matter where time-translational symmetry is broken; this phase differs from the spatial symmetry breaking induced in conventional crystals. Lots of experiments report the transition from a thermal equilibrium phase to a time crystal phase. However, there is no experimental method to probe the bifurcation effect of distinct continuous time crystals in quantum many-body systems. Here, in a driven and dissipative many-body Rydberg atom system, we observe multiple continuous dissipative time crystals and emergence of more complex temporal symmetries beyond the single time crystal phase. Bifurcation of time crystals in strongly interacting Rydberg atoms is observed; the process manifests as a transition from a time crystal of long periodicity to a time crystal of short periodicity, or vice versa. By manipulating the driving field parameters, we observe the time crystal’s bistability and a hysteresis loop. These investigations indicate new possibilities for control and manipulation of the temporal symmetries of non-equilibrium systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-104200ddccff4a35a1a298d1e9144943 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-104200ddccff4a35a1a298d1e91449432025-02-09T12:46:23ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-02-011611810.1038/s41467-025-56712-1Bifurcation of time crystals in driven and dissipative Rydberg atomic gasBang Liu0Li-Hua Zhang1Yu Ma2Qi-Feng Wang3Tian-Yu Han4Jun Zhang5Zheng-Yuan Zhang6Shi-Yao Shao7Qing Li8Han-Chao Chen9Guang-Can Guo10Dong-Sheng Ding11Bao-Sen Shi12Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of ChinaAbstract A time crystal is an exotic phase of matter where time-translational symmetry is broken; this phase differs from the spatial symmetry breaking induced in conventional crystals. Lots of experiments report the transition from a thermal equilibrium phase to a time crystal phase. However, there is no experimental method to probe the bifurcation effect of distinct continuous time crystals in quantum many-body systems. Here, in a driven and dissipative many-body Rydberg atom system, we observe multiple continuous dissipative time crystals and emergence of more complex temporal symmetries beyond the single time crystal phase. Bifurcation of time crystals in strongly interacting Rydberg atoms is observed; the process manifests as a transition from a time crystal of long periodicity to a time crystal of short periodicity, or vice versa. By manipulating the driving field parameters, we observe the time crystal’s bistability and a hysteresis loop. These investigations indicate new possibilities for control and manipulation of the temporal symmetries of non-equilibrium systems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56712-1 |
| spellingShingle | Bang Liu Li-Hua Zhang Yu Ma Qi-Feng Wang Tian-Yu Han Jun Zhang Zheng-Yuan Zhang Shi-Yao Shao Qing Li Han-Chao Chen Guang-Can Guo Dong-Sheng Ding Bao-Sen Shi Bifurcation of time crystals in driven and dissipative Rydberg atomic gas Nature Communications |
| title | Bifurcation of time crystals in driven and dissipative Rydberg atomic gas |
| title_full | Bifurcation of time crystals in driven and dissipative Rydberg atomic gas |
| title_fullStr | Bifurcation of time crystals in driven and dissipative Rydberg atomic gas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bifurcation of time crystals in driven and dissipative Rydberg atomic gas |
| title_short | Bifurcation of time crystals in driven and dissipative Rydberg atomic gas |
| title_sort | bifurcation of time crystals in driven and dissipative rydberg atomic gas |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56712-1 |
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