Review of cold Rydberg atoms and their applications

Abstract

We present an introductory review of the latest advancements cold Rydberg atom research. First, we briefly summarize the exaggerated properties of Rydberg atoms, and we discuss the new perspectives of Rydberg atom research that has been enabled by laser cooling and trapping technique. We then highlight the latest developments and achievements in the newly emerged research fields for Rydberg molecules and cold neutral plasmas. Various applications of the Rydberg blockade effect for quantum optics and quantum information science are also reviewed.