D. Meyer
Army Research Lab,
United States
Keywords: Rydberg atomic sensors, RF, sensors
Summary:
Vapors that are made up of many identical atoms constitute excellent quantum sensors for electromagnetic field sensing. When atoms are excited to high-energy states, known as Rydberg states, they become highly sensitive to electric fields spanning frequencies from DC to a terahertz, or twelve orders-of-magnitude. Unlike traditional RF sensors, these Rydberg quantum sensors do not strongly perturb the field being measured, and this leads to impressive potential in wideband operation, sensitivity, instantaneous bandwidth, and dynamic range. However, achieving the ultimate potential of these sensors, particularly in terms of sensitivity, remains an ongoing research challenge. In this talk, I will present the fundamentals of Rydberg electric field sensing, discuss the current state of the field, and future areas of investigation that could unlock the ultimate potential of Rydberg sensors.