Large power dynamic range microwave electric field sensing in a vapor cell

Area of Science:

• Quantum optics
• Atomic physics
• Metrology

Background:

• Accurate microwave (MW) electric field sensing is crucial for metrology and communication.
• Existing methods often face limitations in dynamic range and accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate an atom-based MW electric field sensing system with a large linear power dynamic range.
• To achieve high-accuracy measurements across a wide range of MW field intensities.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing Rydberg electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) spectra in a vapor cell.
• Employing the AC Stark effect for medium-intensity field measurement.
• Implementing a heterodyne method with a local oscillator (LO) for weak field detection.
• Leveraging atomic Rabi resonance for strong field sensing.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a large linear power dynamic range of 101.6 dB for MW electric field sensing at 6.835 GHz.
• Achieved accurate measurements across weak, medium, and strong electric field intensities.
• Validated the effectiveness of multi-cooperative measurement methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed atom-based system offers a novel approach for quantum MW sensing.
• The system provides high sensitivity and an unprecedented large power dynamic range.
• This work paves the way for advanced applications in quantum sensing and communication.