Development of a high-power ultraviolet laser system and observation of fast coherent Rydberg excitation of ytterbium

We present the development of a high-power ultraviolet laser system operating at a wavelength of 325 nm for Rydberg excitation from the {}^3P₂ state of ytterbium. Utilizing a two-stage frequency doubling scheme, we achieved an output power exceeding 800 mW. The system effectively suppresses frequency noise in the MHz range, which is critical for achieving high Rydberg excitation fidelity, through the use of a filtering cavity. Using this system, we demonstrated coherent excitation of the (6s71s){}^3S₁ Rydberg state with a Rabi frequency of 2.13(3) MHz. Combined with our successful manipulations on the {}^1S₀-{}^3P₂ transition, this work represents a foundational step toward achieving high-fidelity Rydberg excitation, enabling advancements in quantum simulation and computing with neutral atom arrays.