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arXiv:1304.4299 · Physical Review Letters

Atom-Based Vector Microwave Electrometry Using Rubidium Rydberg Atoms in a Vapor Cell

Jonathon A. Sedlacek, Arne Schwettmann, Harald Kübler, James P. Shaffer

Published Aug 6, 2013• 385 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

It is clearly important to pursue atomic standards for quantities like electromagnetic fields, time, length, and gravity. We have recently shown using Rydberg states that Rb atoms in a vapor cell can serve as a practical, compact standard for microwave electric field strength. Here we demonstrate for the first time that Rb atoms excited in a vapor cell can also be used for vector microwave electrometry by using Rydberg-atom electromagnetically induced transparency. We describe the measurements necessary to obtain an arbitrary microwave electric field polarization at a resolution of 0.5°. We compare the experiments to theory and find them to be in excellent agreement.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.111.063001

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It is clearly important to pursue atomic standards for quantities like electromagnetic fields, time, length, and gravity. We have recently shown using Rydberg states that Rb atoms in a vapor cell can serve as a practical, compact standard for microwave electric field strength. Here we demonstrate for the first time that Rb atoms excited in a vapor cell can also be used for vector microwave electrometry by using Rydberg-atom electromagnetically induced transparency. We describe the measurements necessary to obtain an arbitrary microwave electric field polarization at a resolution of 0.5°. We compare the experiments to theory and find them to be in excellent agreement.
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Atom-based measurements of length, time, gravity, inertial forces and electromagnetic fields are receiving increasing attention. Atoms possess properties that suggest clear advantages as self calibrating platforms for measurements of these quantities. In this review, we describe work on a new method for measuring radio frequency (RF) electric fields based on quantum interference using either Cs or Rb atoms contained in a dielectric vapor cell. Using a bright resonance prepared within an electromagnetically induced transparency window it is possible to achieve high sensitivities, <1 μ V cm −1 Hz −1/2 , and detect small RF electric fields μ V cm −1 with a modest setup. Some of the limitations of the sensitivity are addressed in the review. The method can be used to image RF electric fields and can be adapted to measure the vector electric field amplitude. Extensions of Rydberg atom-based electrometry for frequencies up to the terahertz regime are described.
Significant progress has been made in atom-based measurements of length, time, gravity and electromagnetic fields in recently years. Rydberg atom-based microwave electric field measurement, using electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in room temperature alkali-metal vapors, has been extensively investigated and aroused the broad interest. This approach may establish a new standard for the measurements of microwave (MW) and radio frequency (RF) electric fields.In this review, we describe the work on a new method of measuring electric fields based on quantum interference by using either cesium or rubidium atoms contained in a dielectric vapor cell. Rydberg atoms with principal quantum number n >>1 have large direct current (DC) polarizabilities and microwave transition dipole moments, thereby making them extremely sensitive to external electric fields. Using the Rydberg three-level EIT to detect the level splitting and shift that is induced by the external field, we can realize a rapid and robust self-calibration method of measuring the electric field in a frequency range from 0.01 GHz to 1000 GHz. For the MW electric field (frequency range > 1 GHz), the MW field causes the Rydberg states to split, known as an Autler-Townes splitting (A-T) effect when the applied microwave can resonate with adjacent Rydberg states. The MW coupled A-T splitting is proportional to the applied electric field strength, from which the field strength is measured. Using the EIT window, a high sensitivity of 3 μV·cm-1·Hz-1/2 and small electric field of 1 μV/cm are expected to be achieved with a modest setup, and the limitations of the sensitivity are also addressed in the review. For the RF field at frequency mj EIT lines, and avoided crossings formed with the fine-structure levels of equal mj and different J's, which is used to calibrate and measure the RF field amplitude. On the other hand, the dependence of the EIT-line strength on the RF field polarization provides a fast and robust polarization measurement of RF fields based on matching experimental data with a theoretical simulation. The measurements of minimum strengths and sensitivity of RF fields based on Rydberg atoms are one order magnitude below the values obtained by traditional antenna methods. The atom-based field measurement paves the way for determining fields through calibration-free, invariable atomic properties and miniaturization. We also propose its various potential applications in the future.
An atom-based approach is presented to detect absolute microwave (MW) electric fields (E-fields). The approach uses Rydberg atoms in vapor cells at room temperature. The MW E-field measurements utilize a bright resonance prepared within an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) window. The large transition dipole moments between energetically adjacent Rydberg states enable this method to make traceable E-field measurements with a sensitivity that is several orders of magnitude higher than the current standard for MW E-field measurements. The method can be used to image MW E-field in the near field regime with a subwavelength resolution of mathrmlambdaMW/650\\mathrm{\\lambda_{MW}/650}mathrmlambdaMW​/650, where mathrmlambdaMW\\mathrm{\\lambda_{MW}}mathrmlambdaMW​ is the wavelength of the MW E-field. A high accuracy of $\\mathrm{1\\%}$ has been reached by minimizing the effects of the vapor cell geometry on the measured MW E-field. The dissertation also presents an alternative technique to perform the MW E-field measurement using dispersive properties of the EIT spectrum with a prism vapor cell. Recently, we applied a homodyne detection technique with a Mach Zehnder interferometer to achieve a new sensitivity limit for the MW E-field measurement, mathrmsim3 muVcm−1Hz−1/2\\mathrm{\\sim3~\\mu Vcm^{-1}Hz^{-1/2}}mathrmsim3 muVcm−1Hz−1/2. The new sensitivity is one order of magnitude better than our prior best sensitivity presented in Ref. [Nat. Phys. 8, 819 (2012)]. The Rydberg atom-based method is promising to be a new standard for MW E-field measurements and to develop into portable devices in the field of MW technologies.
Atoms form the basis of precise measurement for many quantities (time, acceleration, rotation, magnetic field, etc.). Measurements of microwave frequency electric fields by traditional methods (i.e. engineered antennas) have limited sensitivity and can be difficult to calibrate properly. Highly-excited (Rydberg) neutral atoms have very large electric-dipole moments and many dipole allowed transitions in the range of 1 - 500 GHz. It is possible to sensitively probe the electric field in this range using the combination of two quantum interference phenomena: electromagnetically induced transparency and the Autler-Townes effect. This technique allows for very sensitive field amplitude, polarization, and sub-wavelength imaging measurements. These quantities can be extracted by measuring properties of a probe laser beam as it passes through a warm rubidium vapor cell. Thus far, Rydberg microwave electrometry has relied upon the absorption of the probe laser. We report on our use of polarization rotation, which corresponds to the real part of the susceptibility, for measuring the properties of microwave frequency electric fields. Our simulations show that when a magnetic field is present and directed along the optical propagation direction a polarization rotation signal exists and can be used for microwave electrometry. One central advantage in using the polarization rotation signal rather than the absorption signal is that common mode laser noise is naturally eliminated leading to a potentially dramatic increase in signal-to-noise ratio.