Unconventional Rydberg pumping and applications in quantum information processing

We propose a mechanism of unconventional Rydberg pumping (URP) via simultaneously driving each Rydberg atom by two classical fields with different strengths of Rabi frequencies. This mechanism differs from the general Rydberg blockade or Rydberg antiblockade since it is closely related to the ground states of atoms, i.e., two atoms in the same ground state are stable while two atoms in different ground states are resonantly excited. Furthermore, we find the URP can be employed to simplify some special quantum information processing tasks, such as implementation of a three-qubit controlled-phase gate with only a single Rabi oscillation, preparation of two- and three-dimensional steady-state entanglement with two identical atoms, and realization of the autonomous quantum error correction in a Rydberg-atom-cavity system. The feasibility of the above applications is discussed explicitly by the state-of-the-art technology.