Two-dimensional imaging of electromagnetic fields via light-sheet fluorescence imaging with Rydberg atoms

Area of Science:

• Atomic Physics
• Electromagnetics
• Sensing Technology

Background:

• Conventional field probes perturb electromagnetic fields, limiting measurement accuracy.
• Atomic sensors offer minimally invasive, broadband, and calibration-free field measurement alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel field imaging technique using Rydberg atomic sensors.
• To achieve high spatial resolution and sensitivity for electric and magnetic field mapping.

Main Methods:

• Combined planar laser-induced fluorescence-dip spectroscopy with electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT).
• Utilized Rydberg states in atomic vapor to detect field-induced energy level shifts.
• Imaged fluorescence changes to spatially resolve field distributions.

Main Results:

• Successfully imaged arbitrary electric fields (MHz-GHz) at ~V/cm and static magnetic fields at ~mT.
• Achieved high sensitivity for resonant microwave electric fields (~5 mV/cm).
• Demonstrated spatial resolution of 160 µm, with a fundamental limit near 5 µm.

Conclusions:

• The developed technique enables precise, minimally invasive imaging of electric and magnetic fields.
• This atomic sensing approach overcomes limitations of conventional probes.
• Offers a promising new tool for electromagnetic field characterization across various frequencies.