Title: NIST Develops Rydberg Atom Mixer for Measuring RF Phase
NIST researchers have invented a new Rydberg atom mixer that can measure the phase of modulated carrier radiation, a capability previously unattainable with Rydberg atoms. The mixer combines a reference radiofrequency source, a modulated carrier source, a vapor cell containing gas atoms, and a transmission detector to produce an intermediate frequency (IF) signal that directly corresponds to the phase of the modulated carrier radiation.
This breakthrough allows for the first time coherent measurement of RF field phase using Rydberg atoms, increasing their sensitivity to RF fields beyond what can be detected using Autler-Townes splitting in electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) alone. The invention has potential applications in communications, antenna metrology, and radar systems.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/patents/rydberg-atom-mixer-and-determining-phase-modulated-carrier-radiation
Keywords: Rydberg, Electromagnetically, Induced
