Controlled- <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mi>Z</mml:mi> </mml:math> gate fidelity in neutral-atom arrays with finite blockade and near-degenerate Rydberg pair states

Arrays of optically trapped neutral atoms are an emerging platform for scalable quantum computing, where achieving high-fidelity entangling gates remains a central challenge. We present a systematic analysis of the two-qubit controlled-Z (cz) gate under finite Rydberg blockade, paying particular attention to the influence of near-degenerate Rydberg pair states and resonant dipole-dipole interactions. Using the global two-pulse excitation protocol, we model the full gate dynamics, explicitly capturing population leakage into noncomputational states. By analyzing the interplay between the control parameters such as Rabi frequency, detuning, the F"orster defect, and interaction strength, we identify conditions that enable fast, high-fidelity gate operation while minimizing leakage. We also quantify the impact of finite Rydberg-state lifetimes on gate error and further demonstrate that the optimal parameter regimes identified here are accessible in current rubidium-based tweezer experiments. These results provide practical guidance for optimizing two-qubit gate protocols in neutral-atom quantum processors with experimentally accessible conditions.