Observation of Moiré Time Crystal in Floquet-driven Rydberg Atomic Gases

Abstract

A Moiré time crystal is a non-equilibrium quantum phase emerging from the coherent interference of two distinct frequencies, at least one being the intrinsic oscillation of a symmetry-broken time crystal. Its hallmark is an ultra-long beat period, reflecting a time-domain mapping of the Moiré fringes that arise from mismatched spatial lattices. However, to date, no experimental realization of such a Moiré time crystal has been reported. In this work, by applying a bichromatic driving field with two distinct frequencies, we demonstrate that the interplay between long-range Rydberg interactions and dissipation gives rise to a unique comb-like Moiré pattern characterized by a beat-note comb, which superimposes subharmonic periodicity and fundamental frequencies. This Moiré pattern formed by two mismatched drives is staggered in the spectrum as the frequency of one driver changes. We experimentally map the phase diagram of the system and identify a robust region where the Moiré temporal order persists against perturbations in laser detuning. The reported Moiré time crystal not only provides a controllable platform for exploring emergent slow-fast dynamics and synthetic space-time symmetries but also opens avenues for engineering complex temporal order in driven quantum many-body systems.