Quantum Computing Based on Rydberg Atoms

Dear Colleagues,

Quantum computing based on neutral atoms—particularly those excited to high Rydberg states—has emerged as one of the most promising platforms for scalable, programmable quantum information processing. Over the past decade, rapid experimental and theoretical advances have enabled unprecedented control over large arrays of neutral atoms, with strong, long-range Rydberg interactions for the implementation of quantum gates, quantum simulation, and analog many-body dynamics. These developments have been supported by innovations in laser cooling and trapping, high-fidelity state preparation, coherent Rydberg excitation, optical tweezer arrays, and error mitigation strategies.

Rydberg-atom platforms can achieve system sizes of hundreds of individually controlled atoms, allowing exploration of quantum phases, constrained dynamics, optimization, and digital quantum algorithms. At the same time, fundamental challenges remain, including decoherence mechanisms, motional effects, addressing crosstalk, gate-error characterization, and theoretical modeling of strongly interacting open quantum systems. The interplay between atomic physics, quantum optics, condensed-matter theory, quantum information science, and emerging technologies continues to drive progress toward fault-tolerant architectures.

This Special Issue will bring together recent advances in the science and technology of Rydberg-mediated quantum computing. It will include contributions on state-of-the-art experiments, theoretical modeling, algorithmic applications, engineering approaches to scaling, and cross-disciplinary developments that utilize Rydberg interactions as a powerful tool for quantum information processing and quantum simulation. We aim to highlight both foundational insights and practical implementations that will shape the next generation of quantum technologies based on neutral-atom platforms.

Dr. Bindiya Arora
Dr. Paramjit Kaur
Dr. Harpreet Singh
Guest Editors

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