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IEEE Access

Embedding a Rydberg Atom-Based Sensor Into an Antenna for Phase and Amplitude Detection of Radio-Frequency Fields and Modulated Signals

Matthew T. Simons, Abdulaziz H. Haddab, Joshua A. Gordon, David R. Novotny, Christopher L. Holloway

Published Jan 1, 2019• 98 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We demonstrate a Rydberg atom-based sensor embedded in a parallel-plate waveguide (PPWG) for amplitude and phase detection of a radio-frequency (RF) electric field. This embedded atomic sensor is also capable of receiving modulated communications signals. In this configuration, the PPWG antenna serves two functions. First, the PPWG antenna acts as a source for a local oscillator (LO) field. The LO is required to use an atomic vapor cell (a glass cell containing a Rydberg atom vapor) as a Rydberg atom-based mixer, which detects the amplitude and phase of a second RF field incident from some remote location. The second function of the PPWG antenna is to capture the RF field arriving from a remote location and concentrate it at the location of the atomic vapor cell for detection. To demonstrate this, we show several examples of phase and amplitude measurements of an RF field with the embedded Rydberg-atom sensor. We also demonstrate the discrimination of the polarization of an RF field and the ability to receive phase-modulated carrier communications signals with this integrated atomic sensor. Embedding the atomic sensor in an antenna allows for the full characterization of a radio frequency field, in that the magnitude, phase, and polarization of an RF field can be measured with one compact integrated quantum-based sensor. Furthermore, the embedded sensor head allows one to easily vary the LO in order to maximize the ability to measure phase and amplitude of the field or modulated signal.

DOI
10.1109/access.2019.2949017

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We demonstrate a Rydberg atom-based sensor embedded in a parallel-plate waveguide (PPWG) for amplitude and phase detection of a radio-frequency (RF) electric field. This embedded atomic sensor is also capable of receiving modulated communications signals. In this configuration, the PPWG antenna serves two functions. First, the PPWG antenna acts as a source for a local oscillator (LO) field. The LO is required to use an atomic vapor cell (a glass cell containing a Rydberg atom vapor) as a Rydberg atom-based mixer, which detects the amplitude and phase of a second RF field incident from some remote location. The second function of the PPWG antenna is to capture the RF field arriving from a remote location and concentrate it at the location of the atomic vapor cell for detection. To demonstrate this, we show several examples of phase and amplitude measurements of an RF field with the embedded Rydberg-atom sensor. We also demonstrate the discrimination of the polarization of an RF field and the ability to receive phase-modulated carrier communications signals with this integrated atomic sensor. Embedding the atomic sensor in an antenna allows for the full characterization of a radio frequency field, in that the magnitude, phase, and polarization of an RF field can be measured with one compact integrated quantum-based sensor. Furthermore, the embedded sensor head allows one to easily vary the LO in order to maximize the ability to measure phase and amplitude of the field or modulated signal.
Abstract Rydberg atom-based sensors using the atomic heterodyne technique demonstrate prominent performance on sensing sensitivity and thus have significant potential for radar, electronic reconnaissance, and communication applications. Here, we propose a local oscillator (LO) embedded field enhancement resonator to improve the sensitivity and integration of Rydberg atomic heterodyne sensors. In this approach, a vapor cell filled with cesium atoms is placed into the resonance structure for electric (E) field measurements. By integrating parallel-plate waveguide (PPWG) antennas and the resonator, the LO signal can be directly guided to the resonator using coaxial cable instead of the use of external antennas radiating through free space, allowing for a more flexible and practical Rydberg atom-based heterodyne technique. Based on the off-resonant Rydberg atomic heterodyne approach, for a radio frequency (RF) signal at 638 MHz, it is found that the sensitivity is 43 μ V/cm Hz\sqrt{\text{Hz}}Hz​ Hz in the absence of the resonator, while in the presence of our resonator, the sensitivity is down to 854.36 nV/cm Hz\sqrt{\text{Hz}}Hz​ Hz , indicating 50 times or 34 dB improvement capacity of the proposed resonator. This type of enhancement resonator is expected to benefit Rydberg atomic heterodyne applications in practical environments.
An antenna is a key component of E-field signal pickup. However, an antenna has major limitations due to the metal-based probes, the geometry it carries, and the use of metal transmission lines; this can lead to perturbations or disturbance of the fields which limits the precision for field sensing. Rydberg atoms such as Cesium (Cs) or Rubidium (Rb) are utilized for Rydberg sensing. This can be utilized over a large range of frequencies from DC MHz and THz upto (>100 GHz) to measure amplitude, polarization, power, phase, and Angle-of-Arrival of RF Efield. Rydberg sensor detection scheme provides a multitude of applications, including far field characterization using near field or subwavelength imaging, strong RF E-field measurements, weak field detections, mapping of microwave circuitry, Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK), Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) signals, metrology, and radars. Recently, practical RF E-field probes such as the RFP and movable probe have been prototyped for application specific RF sensing and measurement needs, further, antenna and waveguide embedded Rydberg sensors have also been developed. Few limitations in the Rydberg sensing scheme are due to lasers, EIT line-width, earth magnetic effects, photodiode circuit noise, and vapor cell in-homogeneity. The purpose of the review is to brief about the thematic work done across the Rydberg atom domain and its applications as RF E-field sensors. The findings of this review indicate the advantages and applications of Rydberg atom sensing as well as the gaps and uncertainties the scheme carries.
In this work, we demonstrate the use of a Rydberg atom-based sensor for determining the angle of arrival of an incident radio frequency (RF) wave or signal. The technique uses electromagnetically induced transparency in Rydberg atomic vapor in conjunction with a heterodyne Rydberg atom-based mixer. The Rydberg atom mixer measures the phase of the incident RF wave at two different locations inside an atomic vapor cell. The phase difference at these two locations is related to the direction of arrival of the incident RF wave. To demonstrate this approach, we measure phase differences of an incident 19.18 GHz wave at two locations inside a vapor cell filled with cesium atoms for various incident angles. Comparisons of these measurements with both the full-wave simulation and the plane wave theoretical model show that these atom-based sub-wavelength phase measurements can be used to determine the angle of arrival of an RF field.
We report on the development of detection methods for amplitude and phase of pulsed radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields with Rydberg atoms. We begin with an overview of the basic principles of Rydberg-atom-based sensing and measurement of RF electromagnetic fields. An overview of the underlying atomic physics and the method for amplitude as well as phase sensing of electromagnetic radiation with Rydberg atoms is provided. Atomic RF receivers using Rydberg atoms for analog and digital communications and sensing of modulated RF fields are discussed. Detection of pulse-modulated RF and time-domain RF pulse waveform imaging with a Rydberg-atom receiver are demonstrated. The transient response of the Rydberg-atom vapor to a modulated RF field is observed at the 10-nanosecond level, from which a new lower limit to the achievable instantaneous signal bandwidth of atomic RF receivers is established. Finally, we present and describe a new method to measure the phase of an RF field implemented to not require an RF reference wave. The method employs phase-coherent excitation pathways involving the optical fields in the atomic sensing medium with the signal RF field. The optical RF phase-sensing approach lends itself to the realization of atomic RF sensors, measurement and imaging devices that are relevant to applications in RF communications and sensing.
Rydberg atom radio-frequency sensors are a unique platform for precision electromagnetic field measurement; e.g., they have extraordinary carrier bandwidth spanning MHz to THz and can be self-calibrated. These photonic sensors use lasers to prepare and read out the atomic response to a radio-frequency electromagnetic field. Most work on Rydberg atom sensors centers on radio-frequency electric field strength because the sensor functions as a square law detector, unless an external radio-frequency heterodyning field is used. A heterodyning field acts as a local oscillator and enables phase readout at the expense of the radio-frequency equipment necessary to generate it. In order to overcome the disadvantages of a radio-frequency local oscillator, we investigate all-optical phase-sensitive detection using a five-level closed-loop excitation scheme. We show that under finite detuning of the loop fields, the atomic response oscillates at the frequency of the detuning. The oscillation is transferred to a probe laser absorption signal. The phase, frequency, and amplitude of the radio-frequency signal are imprinted on the oscillatory dynamics and can be determined using demodulation and matched filter techniques applied to the probe laser transmission signal.