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AIP Advances

Using amplitude modulation of the microwave field to improve the sensitivity of Rydberg-atom based microwave electrometry

Xiubin Liu, Feng-Dong Jia, Huaiyu Zhang, Jiong Mei, Yonghong Yu, Wei-Chen Liang, Jian Zhang, Feng Xie, Zhi-Ping Zhong

Published Aug 1, 2021• 44 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The microwave (MW) field can be measured by the Autler–Townes (AT) splitting of the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) spectrum in the Rydberg atomic system; however, the EIT-AT splitting method fails in weak MW fields. We used the amplitude modulation of the MW field to resolve the EIT-AT splitting in weak MW fields. The EIT-AT splitting interval can be directly obtained, and the minimum detectable MW strength is improved by six times compared with the traditional EIT-AT splitting method. The proposed method is more intuitive and convenient for measuring the strength of weak MW fields in practical applications.

DOI
10.1063/5.0054027

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We have theoretically and experimentally studied the dispersive signal of the Rydberg atomic electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT) Autler–Townes (AT) splitting spectra obtained using amplitude modulation of the microwave (MW) electric field. In addition to the two zero-crossing points interval Δf zeros, the dispersion signal has two positive maxima with an interval defined as the shoulder interval Δf sho, which is theoretically expected to be used to measure a much weaker MW electric field. The relationship of the MW field strength E MW and Δf sho is experimentally studied at the MW frequencies of 31.6 GHz and 9.2 GHz respectively. The results show that Δf sho can be used to characterize the much weaker E MW than that of Δf zeros and the traditional EIT–AT splitting interval Δf m; the minimum E MW measured by Δf sho is about 30 times smaller than that by Δf m. As an example, the minimum E MW at 9.2 GHz that can be characterized by Δf sho is 0.056 mV/cm, which is the minimum value characterized by the frequency interval using a vapor cell without adding any auxiliary fields. The proposed method can improve the weak limit and sensitivity of E MW measured by the spectral frequency interval, which is important in the direct measurement of weak E MW.

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Improving the spectral resolution and measurement range of quantum microwave electrometry by cold Rydberg atoms

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Abstract We theoretically and experimentally studied quantum microwave electrometry in a cold atomic system using Rydberg electromagnetic induction transparency (EIT) and Autler–Townes splitting (EIT-AT splitting). In cold atoms, a spectral linewidth of ∼500 kHz for EIT was achieved owing to a significant reduction in residual Doppler width, i.e. by at least an order of magnitude, compared to that in vapor cells at room temperature. Therefore, the minimum microwave electric field intensity (E MW) that can be measured is 430 µV cm−1, which is one order higher sensitivity in the EIT-AT regime than that in vapor cells at room temperature. Unlike microwave electrometry in atomic vapor cells, EIT-AT splitting cannot be observed if E MW is so large that the EIT-AT splitting interval Δ f m exceeds the absorption peak width of the cold atom while scanning the frequency of the probe laser (ω p ). Moreover, EIT-AT splitting can be observed if Δ f m exceeds the natural linewidth Γ eg of the intermediate states while scanning the coupling laser (ω c ) and maintains a high spectral resolution with a high signal-to-noise ratio. While scanning ω c , the upper microwave electric field intensity is limited by the scanning range of our setup. Using our system, we measure the maximum field to be 21.6 mV cm−1, nearly three times higher than that of 6.8 mV cm−1 while scanning ω p . The results indicate that the linear range of E MW measured using EIT-AT splitting considerably improves in cold Rydberg atoms.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Dec 23, 2022•28 citations
The microwave (MW) field can be measured by the Autler–Townes (AT) splitting of the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) spectrum in the Rydberg atomic system; however, the EIT-AT splitting method fails in weak MW fields. We used the amplitude modulation of the MW field to resolve the EIT-AT splitting in weak MW fields. The EIT-AT splitting interval can be directly obtained, and the minimum detectable MW strength is improved by six times compared with the traditional EIT-AT splitting method. The proposed method is more intuitive and convenient for measuring the strength of weak MW fields in practical applications.
We have theoretically and experimentally studied the dispersive signal of the Rydberg atomic electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT) Autler–Townes (AT) splitting spectra obtained using amplitude modulation of the microwave (MW) electric field. In addition to the two zero-crossing points interval Δf zeros, the dispersion signal has two positive maxima with an interval defined as the shoulder interval Δf sho, which is theoretically expected to be used to measure a much weaker MW electric field. The relationship of the MW field strength E MW and Δf sho is experimentally studied at the MW frequencies of 31.6 GHz and 9.2 GHz respectively. The results show that Δf sho can be used to characterize the much weaker E MW than that of Δf zeros and the traditional EIT–AT splitting interval Δf m; the minimum E MW measured by Δf sho is about 30 times smaller than that by Δf m. As an example, the minimum E MW at 9.2 GHz that can be characterized by Δf sho is 0.056 mV/cm, which is the minimum value characterized by the frequency interval using a vapor cell without adding any auxiliary fields. The proposed method can improve the weak limit and sensitivity of E MW measured by the spectral frequency interval, which is important in the direct measurement of weak E MW.
We have theoretically and experimentally studied the dispersive signal of the Rydberg atomic electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) - Autler-Townes (AT) splitting spectra obtained using amplitude modulation of the microwave (MW) field. In addition to the two zero-crossing points, the dispersion signal has two positive maxima with an interval defined as the shoulder interval of the dispersion signal ΔfshoΔf_{\text{sho}}Δfsho​. The relationship of MW field strength EMWE_{\text{MW}}EMW​ and ΔfshoΔf_{\text{sho}}Δfsho​ are studied at the MW frequencies of 31.6 GHz, 22.1 GHz, and 9.2 GHz respectively. The results show that ΔfshoΔf_{\text{sho}}Δfsho​ can be used to character the much weaker EMWE_{\text{MW}}EMW​ than the interval of two zero-crossing points ΔfzerosΔf_{\text{zeros}}Δfzeros​ and the traditional EIT-AT splitting interval ΔfmΔf_{\text{m}}Δfm​, the minimum EMWE_{\text{MW}}EMW​ measured by ΔfshoΔf_{\text{sho}}Δfsho​ is about 30 times smaller than that by ΔfmΔf_{\text{m}}Δfm​. As an example, the minimum EMWE_{\text{MW}}EMW​ at 9.2 GHz that can be characterized by ΔfshoΔf_{\text{sho}}Δfsho​ is 0.056 mV/cm, which is the minimum value characterized by frequency interval using vapour cell without adding any auxiliary fields. The proposed method can improve the weak limit and sensitivity of EMWE_{\text{MW}}EMW​ measured by spectral frequency interval, which is important in the direct measurement of weak EMWE_{\text{MW}}EMW​.
We demonstrate the use of an auxiliary microwave field to extend the bandwidth sensitivity of Rydberg-atom-based microwave electrometry. Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and Autler-Townes (AT) splitting in Rydberg atom microwave electrometry provide advantageous sensitivity for the resonant detection of microwave (MW) fields because the Stark shift of the target Rydberg state takes the linear form of AT splitting. However, the sensitivity is reduced by several orders of magnitude for detuned MW fields because the Stark shift of the target Rydberg state depends on a weak nonlinear effect. We show that the auxiliary microwave field with appropriate Rabi frequency or detuning could shift the atomic energy levels to bring a particular Rydberg-Rydberg transition of interest for microwave sensing into resonance with the target microwave field. Using the atomic superheterodyne method, we verified the general method that regulates Rydberg energy levels using an auxiliary microwave field. The experimental results of this study confirm that this technique works efficiently for detecting microwave fields detuned by up to 100 MHz from resonance with the field-free Rydberg-Rydberg transition used for sensing. The measurement sensitivity of the detuned target field is increased by a factor of 10 compared with that achieved without the application of the auxiliary dressing field.
We herein developed and demonstrated a Zeeman frequency modulation scheme for improving the signal-to-noise ratio of microwave electric field measurement using Rydberg atoms. The spectra of the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and Autler-Townes splitting of Rydberg atoms is frequency modulated by an alternating current magnetic field. The signal-to-noise ratio of the corresponding dispersive error signal is enhanced more than 10 times than that of the original spectrum. Furthermore, we show that the slope of the dispersive error signal near the resonance of the Rydberg EIT can be used to characterize the weak microwave electric field amplitudes. The more intuitive and simpler structure compared with other existing frequency modulation technologies greatly reduces the difficulties of experiments and experimental data analysis.
Abstract A scheme for measuring microwave (MW) electric (E) fields is proposed based on bichromatic electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in Rydberg atoms. A bichromatic control field drives the excited state transition, whose absorption shows three EIT windows. When a MW field drives the Rydberg transition, the EIT windows split and six transmission peaks appear. It is interesting to find that the peak-to-peak distance of transmission spectrum is sensitive to the MW field strength, which can be used to measure MW E-field. Simulation results show that the measurement accuracy could be increased by about 4 times, and the minimum detectable strength of the MW E-field may be improved by about 3 times compared with the common EIT scheme. After the Doppler averaging, the minimum detectable MW E-field strength is about 5 times larger than that without Doppler effect. Also, we investigate other effects on the sensitivity of the system.
Abstract We theoretically and experimentally studied quantum microwave electrometry in a cold atomic system using Rydberg electromagnetic induction transparency (EIT) and Autler–Townes splitting (EIT-AT splitting). In cold atoms, a spectral linewidth of ∼500 kHz for EIT was achieved owing to a significant reduction in residual Doppler width, i.e. by at least an order of magnitude, compared to that in vapor cells at room temperature. Therefore, the minimum microwave electric field intensity (E MW) that can be measured is 430 µV cm−1, which is one order higher sensitivity in the EIT-AT regime than that in vapor cells at room temperature. Unlike microwave electrometry in atomic vapor cells, EIT-AT splitting cannot be observed if E MW is so large that the EIT-AT splitting interval Δ f m exceeds the absorption peak width of the cold atom while scanning the frequency of the probe laser (ω p ). Moreover, EIT-AT splitting can be observed if Δ f m exceeds the natural linewidth Γ eg of the intermediate states while scanning the coupling laser (ω c ) and maintains a high spectral resolution with a high signal-to-noise ratio. While scanning ω c , the upper microwave electric field intensity is limited by the scanning range of our setup. Using our system, we measure the maximum field to be 21.6 mV cm−1, nearly three times higher than that of 6.8 mV cm−1 while scanning ω p . The results indicate that the linear range of E MW measured using EIT-AT splitting considerably improves in cold Rydberg atoms.