Rydberg atom

A Rydberg atom has an electron excited to a high principal quantum number, producing an unusually large orbital and strong sensitivity to electric fields.

Principal quantum number: The quantum number that labels an electron shell and largely determines its energy and orbital size. Rydberg states are defined by unusually high values of this number.
Rydberg quantum simulator: A controllable array of Rydberg atoms used to emulate interacting quantum systems. Blockade interactions let these arrays realize tunable models of many-body physics.
Atomic orbital: A quantum state describing the spatial distribution of an electron around an atomic nucleus. A Rydberg atom's defining large size comes from its excited electron's orbital.
Johannes Rydberg: A Swedish physicist who formulated a mathematical relation describing spectral lines of chemical elements. The atom takes its name from the spectral formula associated with his work.
Ground state: The lowest-energy state available to a quantum system. Unlike a Rydberg state, an atom's ground state has a compact electron distribution.
Hydrogen-like atom: An atom or ion with one electron bound to a nucleus. Its simple Coulomb potential explains many Rydberg energy levels.
Neutral-atom quantum computer: A quantum computer that stores and manipulates qubits using electrically neutral atoms. Rydberg excitation can mediate entangling gates between neutral-atom qubits.
Laser cooling: Techniques that use light to reduce the motion of atoms or ions. Cooling makes atomic samples easier to trap and control during Rydberg experiments.
Rydberg formula: A formula that predicts the wavelengths of spectral lines in hydrogen and hydrogen-like systems. Its converging spectral series reveal transitions involving high-lying atomic states.
Excited state: A quantum state with more energy than a system's ground state. Rydberg states are a distinctive, highly excited subset of atomic states.

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