A hybrid quantum system of ultracold polar molecules and Rydberg atoms*

We are developing a hybrid quantum system of individually trapped polar molecules interfaced with Rydberg atoms. The rich structure of polar molecules enables the encoding of quantum information in their long-lived rotational states, whilst the strong long-ranged interactions between a molecule and Rydberg atom allow for fast multi-qubit quantum gates.

We produce individually trapped RbCs molecules in optical tweezers which allow for single-site control, imaging, and multistate readout. The molecules are formed in the absolute ground state from individual atoms. Alongside the molecules, excess Rb atoms are prepared in the motional ground state and excited to Rydberg states.

Here, we report our progress in developing this hybrid quantum system. Previously, we have observed the blockade of the excitation of a Rb atom to the 52s Rydberg state due to its charge-dipole interaction with a ground state RbCs molecule. To enhance the interaction between the particles, we have selected Rydberg states that have an allowed transition that is resonant with a molecular transition. This enables strong dipolar interactions between the particles. We present initial characterisations of these interactions and an outlook to future work.

Additionally, with our platform, we can form and characterise individual Rb*Cs Rydberg molecules. We demonstrate molecule association with atoms trapped in separate tweezers, paving the way for state-selective assembly of polyatomic molecules. Our approach is broadly applicable to Rydberg tweezer platforms, expanding the range of available molecular systems and enabling the integration of Rydberg molecules into existing quantum science platforms.