A Programmable Rydberg Quantum Bus for Nonlocal Connectivity

Abstract

Scalable quantum networks require processing nodes with flexible internal connectivity, yet neutral-atom architectures remain constrained by the strong spatial dependence of native Rydberg interactions. Here we show that a Rydberg atom chain can act as a coherent quantum bus, converting a locally connected one-dimensional architecture into an effectively nonlocal interaction network. Virtual excitations in the dispersive regime mediate controllable interactions between spatially separated data units, which we derive analytically using a Green's-function continued-fraction method. The resulting mechanism is not restricted to single-excitation dynamics and supports several distinct functionalities, including Floquet-engineered chiral transport, remote entanglement of mechanical oscillators, and destructive interference for selectively suppressing unwanted dipole exchange. Simulations incorporating full long-range Rydberg interactions, atomic position fluctuations, and finite Rydberg-state lifetimes show that the mediated dynamics remain robust under experimentally relevant conditions. These results establish Rydberg chains as programmable coherent mediators for extending the internal connectivity of neutral-atom quantum nodes toward quasi-all-to-all coupling, providing a hardware-level route toward scalable and reconfigurable quantum-network architectures.