Waveguide-integrated Rydberg Atom-based RF Field Detector for Near-field Antenna Measurements

Area of Science:

• Atomic physics
• Electromagnetics
• Sensor technology

Background:

• Radio-frequency (RF) field measurements are crucial in various applications.
• Accurate amplitude and phase determination is often challenging, especially in near-field scenarios.
• Rydberg atoms offer unique capabilities for electromagnetic field sensing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate simultaneous amplitude and phase measurement of RF fields.
• To utilize a Rydberg atom-based sensor integrated within a waveguiding structure.
• To extract far-field antenna patterns from near-field measurements.

Main Methods:

• Employing a Rydberg atom-based sensor in a mixer configuration.
• Using a local oscillator (LO) RF field supplied by the waveguiding structure.
• Performing near-field measurements of a horn antenna.

Main Results:

• Successful simultaneous measurement of RF field amplitude and phase.
• Integration of a Rydberg atom sensor within a waveguide for RF sensing.
• Extraction of far-field antenna patterns using the developed system.

Conclusions:

• The combined waveguide and Rydberg atom system enables precise RF field characterization.
• This method provides a novel approach for near-field to far-field transformation.
• The technique has potential for advanced RF sensing and antenna metrology.