Atom Based Vector Microwave Electrometry Using Rubidium Rydberg Atoms in a Vapor Cell

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a novel method for vector microwave electrometry using Rydberg atoms in a vapor cell, achieving high polarization resolution and aligning well with theoretical predictions.

Contribution

It introduces the first use of Rb Rydberg atoms in vapor cells for vector microwave electric field measurement via electromagnetically induced transparency.

Findings

Achieved 0.5° polarization resolution.

Experimental results agree with theoretical models.

Extended atomic standards to vector microwave field measurement.

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 $0.5^\circ$. The experiments are compared to theory and found to be in excellent agreement.