NIST researchers are developing a new method for measuring radio frequency (RF) electric fields using highly excited Rydberg atoms. This approach provides a direct, self-calibrating measurement method traceable to SI-defined constants, bypassing the traditional chicken-and-egg calibration problem.
The technique uses electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT) in Rydberg atoms to create a sensitive, non-invasive RF field probe. This has potential applications beyond calibration, including:
– Real-time guitar recording using quantum physics principles
– Weak electric field detection with sub-1 Hz resolution
– Portable RF field sensors using fiber-coupled vapor cells
– SI-traceable RF power measurements
The research team has published several papers demonstrating the technique’s effectiveness and potential applications, particularly in the context of 5G and beyond wireless communications.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/rydberg-atom-based-quantum-rf-field-probes
Keywords: Rydberg, E-field, SI-traceable, RF, Electric field
