A Rydberg Atom Electric Field Sensor

I. I. Ryabtsev, Vasily M. Entin, Denis B. Tretyakov +3 more

Matthew T. Simons, Joshua A. Gordon, Christopher L. Holloway

Shiyao Shao, Qing Li, Jun Zhang +6 more

Charles Fancher, David R. Scherer, Marc C. St. John +1 more

Rydberg atom electric field sensors are projected to enable novel capabilities for resilient communications and sensing. This quantum sensor is small-size, highly sensitive, and broadly tunable, and it has the potential for performing precision vector electric field and angle-of-arrival measurements. While these atomic electric field sensors will not replace traditional receivers in commodity applications for RF signal reception, these sensors could be an enabling technology in niche application spaces. This review outlines the principles of operation of atomic electric field sensors and compares their performance capabilities to traditional RF receivers. It also highlights recent research and development efforts in atomic electric field sensing and identifies applications for which these sensors are projected to impact communications and remote sensing.

Tianhao Wu

In this paper, we present a comprehensive investigation into the sensitivity of a Rydberg atom electric field sensor, with a specific focus on the minimum detectable field (MDF) as a key metric. The study utilizes one-mode Floquet theory to calculate the Stark shift for selected Rydberg states when exposed to a signal electric field. The results are compared to those obtained using the rotating wave approximation (RWA). To enhance the sensor's sensitivity when the frequency of the signal electric field deviates from resonance frequencies between Rydberg states, we propose incorporating an extra coupling electric field and using many-mode Floquet theory, a generalization of one-mode Floquet theory, to theoretically analyze this kind of Rydberg atom electric field sensor. The Autler-Townes effect resulting from this coupling electric field causes Rydberg states to split into dressed states, effectively increasing sensitivity by modulating the frequencies of resonance peaks. Moreover, the phenomenon of two-photon absorption in the presence of the coupling electric field is explored. We demonstrate that by appropriately adjusting the coupling electric field's amplitude or frequency, one can control the occurrence of two-photon resonances, providing additional sensitivity enhancement for the Rydberg sensor within the significantly extended off-resonance domain. The study underscores the significance of coupling fields in enhancing the sensitivity of Rydberg atom electric field sensors. These insights hold promising implications for the development of more robust and versatile electric field sensing devices, applicable in diverse fields such as precision measurements and quantum information processing.

Kelly M. Backes

Rydberg atom electric field sensors offer a number of benefits over traditional antenna-based receivers. They are highly sensitive, small-size, and broadly tunable from near-DC to THz frequencies with a single sensor apparatus. While these sensors are unlikely to replace traditional receivers in many applications owing to their added complexity and narrowband response, they have the potential for a large impact in niche application areas. In this talk, I will highlight viable areas of impact and discuss how their performance compares to that of traditional sensors. Furthermore, I describe the recent progress made on the development of a Rydberg atom-based electric field sensor at MITRE.