Phase Retrieval for Rydberg Quantum Arrays

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new phase retrieval algorithm for Rydberg atomic arrays, enabling phase detection from intensity-only measurements, which enhances Rydberg-based electrometry and phased array applications.

Contribution

The paper develops a novel three-stage alternating projections algorithm for phase retrieval in Rydberg atomic arrays, addressing a key limitation in current electrometry techniques.

Findings

Effective phase retrieval demonstrated in numerical experiments

Improved beamforming output in array configurations

Potential for enhanced electric field detection using Rydberg probes

Abstract

Rydberg-aided atomic electrometry using alkali-metal atoms is gaining increased research interest for detecting external electric fields. However, the inability of Rydberg probes to detect phase is a serious impediment to their realistic deployment. In this paper, we derive a novel phase retrieval algorithm for use in a phased array or synthetic aperture applications where only measurements of electric field intensity are possible at each spatial sample. These array configurations exist if a Rydberg atom probe is used in place of an antenna. We employ three-stage alternating projections to solve the resulting optimization problem. Our numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in terms of beamformed array output.