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Updated: Feb 10, 2026

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Published on: July 3, 2021
Atom-based vector microwave electrometry using rubidium Rydberg atoms in a vapor cell
J A Sedlacek1, A Schwettmann, H Kübler
1Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Oklahoma, 440 West Brooks Street, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA.
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.
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