Sensitivity Comparison of Rydberg Atom-Based Radio-Frequency Electric Field Detection: Ionization Current Versus Optical Readout

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Shylla, Dangka, Talashila, Rajavardhan, Artusio-Glimpse, Alexandra, Meraki, Adil, Manchaiah, Dixith, Schlossberger, Noah, Berweger, Samuel, Simons, Matthew T., Holloway, Christopher L., Prajapati, Nikunjkumar
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Shylla, Dangka
Talashila, Rajavardhan
Artusio-Glimpse, Alexandra
Meraki, Adil
Manchaiah, Dixith
Schlossberger, Noah
Berweger, Samuel
Simons, Matthew T.
Holloway, Christopher L.
Prajapati, Nikunjkumar
author_facet Shylla, Dangka
Talashila, Rajavardhan
Artusio-Glimpse, Alexandra
Meraki, Adil
Manchaiah, Dixith
Schlossberger, Noah
Berweger, Samuel
Simons, Matthew T.
Holloway, Christopher L.
Prajapati, Nikunjkumar
contents We investigate a technique for detecting radio-frequency (RF) electric fields in a Cesium (Cs) vapor cell at room temperature by collecting charge from ionized Rydberg atoms and compare its performance with the established method of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). By applying a known RF field, we measure the response from both the electrical (ionization current-based) and optical (EIT-based) readouts. The ionization current-based method yields a sensitivity of 22~$μ$Vm$^{-1}$Hz$^{-1/2}$, while the EIT-based method achieves 3.7~$μ$Vm$^{-1}$Hz$^{-1/2}$. The sensitivity of the ionization current-based method is limited by thermal noise arising from a 2.2~k$Ω$ resistance between the collection electrodes, attributed to a thin Cs film on the inner surfaces of the vapor cell. Controlling or eliminating the Cs layer can significantly improve the sensitivity of this ionization approach.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_15463
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Sensitivity Comparison of Rydberg Atom-Based Radio-Frequency Electric Field Detection: Ionization Current Versus Optical Readout
Shylla, Dangka
Talashila, Rajavardhan
Artusio-Glimpse, Alexandra
Meraki, Adil
Manchaiah, Dixith
Schlossberger, Noah
Berweger, Samuel
Simons, Matthew T.
Holloway, Christopher L.
Prajapati, Nikunjkumar
Atomic Physics
We investigate a technique for detecting radio-frequency (RF) electric fields in a Cesium (Cs) vapor cell at room temperature by collecting charge from ionized Rydberg atoms and compare its performance with the established method of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). By applying a known RF field, we measure the response from both the electrical (ionization current-based) and optical (EIT-based) readouts. The ionization current-based method yields a sensitivity of 22~$μ$Vm$^{-1}$Hz$^{-1/2}$, while the EIT-based method achieves 3.7~$μ$Vm$^{-1}$Hz$^{-1/2}$. The sensitivity of the ionization current-based method is limited by thermal noise arising from a 2.2~k$Ω$ resistance between the collection electrodes, attributed to a thin Cs film on the inner surfaces of the vapor cell. Controlling or eliminating the Cs layer can significantly improve the sensitivity of this ionization approach.
title Sensitivity Comparison of Rydberg Atom-Based Radio-Frequency Electric Field Detection: Ionization Current Versus Optical Readout
topic Atomic Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.15463