Bulletin of the American Physical Society
54th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
Volume 68, Number 7
Monday–Friday, June 5–9, 2023; Spokane, Washington
Session K10: Rydberg Field Sensors |
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Chair: Grant Biedermann, Oklahoma Univ Room: 207 |
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 10:30AM - 10:42AM |
K10.00001: Utilizing Stark effect in Rydberg atoms for electric-field sensing in cold ion clouds Alisher Duspayev, Georg A Raithel Rydberg atoms are actively utilized for electric-field measurements and sensing in cold-atom environments and in room-temperature vapors. In the current work, we explore the potential of the Rydberg-atom electric-field sensing method to diagnose cold-ion clouds subjected to a controllable dc external ion extraction field. An emphasis of the work is to quantify the significance of microfields relative to that of external and macroscopic fields. Our ion clouds are generated by photoionization of rubidium 5D3/2 atoms prepared in an optical dipole trap. We obtain and analyze Stark spectra of cold Rydberg atoms seeded into the ion clouds, for cases of both high- and low-orbital-angular-momentum Rydberg states. A numerical model used to explain the observations and its interpretation will be discussed. The data overall show that Rydberg-atom-based electric-field sensing is a practical method to quantify the significance of the microfields. Our results on Rydberg-atom Stark spectroscopy in the presence of ions are of interest for monitoring electric fields in focused ion beam sources and in cold plasmas. |
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 10:42AM - 10:54AM |
K10.00002: Self-Calibrating broadband electrometer for radio frequency and microwave fields detection utilizing non-resonant, non-linear electric field-mixing in Rydberg atoms Lingyun Chai, Robert R Jones We have developed a self-calibrating electromagnetic field sensor for measuring the spectral amplitude of broad-band or multi-frequency RF and microwave fields. This sensor utilizes Rydberg Rubidium atoms in a room temperature vapor cell, and electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) laser spectroscopy as an optical readout. Unlike other schemes that rely on resonant coupling between Rydberg states [1], our electrometer is based on non-resonant dressing of the Rydberg atoms by the combination of an RF/microwave signal field and a DC, low frequency (LF), or RF reference field, exploiting the extraordinarily large electric field sensitivity of Rydberg atoms. In the combined signal and reference fields, the Rydberg excitation spectrum measured through laser spectroscopy exhibits a primary resonance feature shifted from the zero-field resonance position, and flanked by subsidiary resonances, or sidebands. Measurement of the shift of the primary Rydberg resonance, along with the ratio of the sideband to primary Rydberg resonance amplitudes, enables the determination of the spectral amplitude of the signal field, with high sensitivity across a broad spectral range that is not limited by a resonant, or near resonant, atomic response. |
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 10:54AM - 11:06AM |
K10.00003: RF signal reception and application demonstrations using a portable atomic receiver Luis Felipe Goncalves, James Detlefs, Georg A Raithel, David A Anderson We present a compact and portable Atomic Receiver (ARX) and front-end for detection and measurement of RF signals across multiple bands. The receiver is based on the high electric-field sensitivity of Rydberg atoms to provide accurate, reliable, drift-free and calibration-free RF sensing and measurement across a wide spectral range spanning from megahertz to tens of gigahertz using a single sub-cm$^3$ probe head. The compact design of the ARX makes it easy to use and transport for fieldable demonstrations, flexible real-time RF signal collection, signal processing, and analysis, making it a reliable tool for applications in RF metrology, test and measurement, communications, and surveillance. Here we will present the ARX, its performance capabilities, and application demonstrations in signal reception across HF, VHF, UHF and SHF bands. |
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 11:06AM - 11:18AM |
K10.00004: Improving electric field sensitivity by combining electromagnetically induced transparency, polarization spectroscopy, and microwave 3D printed lenses using hot vapor of Rydberg atoms as fundamental atomic sensors JORGE DOUGLAS M MASSAYUKI KONDO, Naomy Duarte Gomes, Vinicius M Pepino, Ben-Hur V Borges, Daniel V Magalhães, Luis G Marcassa Rydberg atoms are ideal standard sensors for detecting electromagnetic (EM) fields because the outer electron is weakly bound to the core and is easily perturbed by stray EM fields. For high-definition eletrometry, the use of an atomic vapor sample contained in small glass or quartz cells appears promising. The amplitude of an a.c. electric field can be measured and quantified by analyzing the Autler-Townes energy splitting that appears in the EIT (Electromagnetic Induced Transparency) spectrum profiles; however, the contrast and sensitivity are limited by the measured field intensity, as for small fields the splitting is no longer available directly due to the transparency linewidth and power broadening limitations. To achieve a better definition, a combination of PS (Polarization Spectroscopy) and a Laguerre-Gaussian modified control beam can be used [1]. In this work, we go a step further in applying PS to the EIT scheme in order to obtain systematic measurements of microwave fields in the range of tens of gigahertz. By manipulating the polarization of the control and probe lasers a dispersion signal is generated, and an indirect splitting can be quantified for even lower electric fields. The increased detection sensitivity can be improved by using 3D-printed dieletric lenses; this passive element can be manufactured using metasurfaces to control the wavefront phases, leading to an increase in gain at the sensor reading position [2]. |
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 11:18AM - 11:30AM |
K10.00005: Controlling Quantum Interference by Using a Driving Laser Field in the Four-level Ladder-vee Type Atomic System Chin-Chun Tsai, Thi-Thuy Nguyen The light-atom interaction in the four-level atomic system under a ladder-vee type configuration using the density matrix approach was investigated. The weak probe transmission signal is strongly driven by two intense lasers. Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is suppressed, then switched completely to electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA) as increasing one of the driving intensity. The whole transforming process corresponding to three domains of driving Rabi frequency will be discussed. The weak field domain results in purely EIT reduction. The turning range brings about EIT suppression accompanied by EIA enhancement. The strong field regime causes EIA reduction and Autler-Townes splitting. Our analyses reveal the involvement of quantum interference in the course of EIT and EIA, which is distinguishable from the consequence of Autler-Townes splitting. Additionally, we found that there exists a critical point of coupling Rabi frequency for which the rate of transforming EIT to EIA is sensitive to the driving intensity. For the coupling Rabi frequency below this critical value, the initial EIA appears at resonance, it otherwise emerges on both sides of the resonance. |
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 11:30AM - 11:42AM |
K10.00006: Analytic Expressions for the Amplitude Regime of Rydberg Atom-based Sensors Matthias Schmidt, Stephanie Bohaichuk, Chang Liu, Vijin Venu, Florian Christaller, Harald Kübler, James P Shaffer In this talk, we present theoretical work on atom-based RF electric field sensing using Rydberg states in hot vapors. There are two distinct strategies to detect the electric field strength of the RF wave, namely the Autler-Townes limit, where the splitting of the dressed states is proportional to the incident RF electric field strength and the amplitude regime, where the electric field is determined by measuring the change in probe laser transmission in the presence of the RF electromagnetic field. We have uncovered analytic expressions for the amplitude regime for a two photon excitation scheme that can be extended other read-out schemes. The analytic expressions show how the scattering of the probe laser changes in the presence of the RF electromagnetic field, providing insight into atom-based RF electric field sensors. Expressions in the thermal limit with finite wave vector mismatch are also found to yield an accurate analytic approximation in the strong coupling limit. Our work extends the understanding of the detection of weak RF E-fields with Rydberg-atom based RF sensors. We address sensitivity optimization of Rydberg atom-based sensors based on the work. |
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 11:42AM - 11:54AM |
K10.00007: A Narrow Linewidth 3-Photon Scheme for Rydberg-Atom Electrometry Stephanie M Bohaichuk, Fabian Ripka, Vijin Venu, Florian Christaller, Chang Liu, Matthias Schmidt, Harald Kübler, James P Shaffer Rydberg states are utilized in quantum sensors that detect radio frequency (RF) electric fields with high sensitivity. In the Autler-Townes regime, Rydberg atom-based sensors are self-calibrated to well-known atomic properties. The lower limit for self-calibrated RF electric field strength measurements is set by the spectral linewidth of the probe laser’s absorption feature. In a standard 2-photon setup linewidths of several MHz are possible, but are dominated by residual Doppler broadening due to wavevector mismatch of the lasers. In this work, we demonstrate a co-linear 3-photon excitation scheme for cesium atoms that minimizes wavevector mismatch and achieves sub-200 kHz linewidths at room temperature. In the self-calibrated regime, we resolve continuous wave RF electric fields down to 300 μV/cm amplitudes at 10.7 and 109 GHz. We show that the linewidth is no longer limited by wavevector mismatch, but other effects including transit time broadening, laser linewidths, and power broadening. We also discuss sensitivity limits beyond the self-calibrated regime in response to microsecond RF pulses. This work demonstrates the benefits of a narrow linewidth 3-photon setup in extending the self-calibrated regime to weaker RF field amplitudes, while obtaining a high sensitivity to pulses in the amplitude regime. |
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 11:54AM - 12:06PM |
K10.00008: R&D for a fieldable Rydberg atom electric field sensor Charles T Fancher, Kathryn Nicolich, Kelly M Backes, Neel Malvania, Bonnie L Schmittberger
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Wednesday, June 7, 2023 12:06PM - 12:18PM |
K10.00009: Rydberg electromagnetically-induced transparency in a rubidium vapor cell with buffer gas Nithiwadee Thaicharoen, Georg A Raithel Electric field from plasma is notoriously difficult to probe due to its complex and dynamic nature, back-action of Langmuir probes, and limits in spatial resolution. In order to probe the electric field without interfering with the field, we investigate all-optical electric field sensing in the presence of a background gas in the range of several Torr. In this work, we demonstrate Rydberg electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT) in a vapor cell containing a mixture of rubidium and an inert buffer gas in order to approach conditions that may be found in a background plasma (less the plasma electric fields). We measure frequency shift and spectral broadening of the EIT signals for a range of Rydberg levels, and compare the data to standard EIT reference signals from a buffer-gas-free cell. The results of this study provide important insights into using Rydberg-EIT to measure macroscopic and random electric fields in plasmas. |
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 12:18PM - 12:30PM |
K10.00010: Rydberg Atom-based Electrometry Using a Self-heterodyne Frequency Comb Readout and Preparation Scheme Katelyn Dixon, Harry Tai, Kent Nickerson, Donald Booth, James P Shaffer Recently, Rydberg atom spectroscopy in room temperature vapor cells has arisen as a promising method for electromagnetic (EM) field sensing. In contrast to traditional antennas, atomic EM field sensors are all-dielectric, minimizing perturbations of the field of interest, and self-calibrating. These sensors offer extraordinary carrier bandwidth, stability, accuracy and reproducibility. Atomic EM sensors have applications in radar, communications, and test and measurement, but implementation of these sensors is challenging, partly because of the sophisticated laser systems required. Here, we demonstrate the use of optical frequency comb spectroscopy to detect two-photon electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and measure EM fields in a massively parallel fashion while reducing the complexity of the optical setup. Using a flat, quasi-continuous optical frequency comb generated through electro-optic modulation, we read-out EIT in a cesium vapor cell using self-heterodyne spectroscopy, resolving linewidths of less than 5 MHz both with and without laser locking, enabling a significant reduction in the sophistication of the required laser systems. We further demonstrate radio frequency EM field sensing through Autler-Townes splitting of the enhanced transmission signal. The frequency comb technique eliminates the need for laser scanning and enables the real-time determination of the full EIT peak line structure, which is beneficial for many applications. We discuss the potential to apply this method to the detection of pulsed EM fields along with avenues to improve the speed and sensitivity in future measurements. |
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