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PUBLICATIONS

Rydberg states of alkali atoms in atomic vapor as SI-traceable field probes and communications receivers

Published

Author(s)

Noah Schlossberger, Samuel Berweger, Nikunjkumar Prajapati, Andrew Rotunno, Alexandra Artusio-Glimpse, Matthew Simons, Abrar Sheikh, Eric Norrgard, Stephen Eckel, Christopher Holloway

Abstract

Rydberg states of alkali atoms are highly sensitive to electric fields because their electron wavefunction has a large spatial extent, leading to large polarizabilities for static fields and large transition dipole moments for time-varying fields. Over the past few years, Rydberg atoms have been used as sensitive probes for performing self-calibrated and SI-traceable electric field measurements. In this Technical Review, we introduce and examine the current state of Rydberg atom-based electrometry in room-temperature atomic vapours. We cover the fundamental principles, experimental techniques, recent advancements, and applications of this field, providing a comprehensive resource for researchers interested in utilizing Rydberg atoms for precise electric field measurements.
Citation
Nature Reviews Physics
Volume
6
Issue
10
Pub Type
Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-024-00756-7
Local Download
Wireless (RF), Standards, Quantum communications, Physics, Optical physics and communications, Atomic / molecular / quantum and Advanced communications

Citation

Schlossberger, N. , Berweger, S. , Prajapati, N. , Rotunno, A. , Artusio-Glimpse, A. , SIMONS, M. , Sheikh, A. , Norrgard, E. , Eckel, S. and Holloway, C. (2024), Rydberg states of alkali atoms in atomic vapor as SI-traceable field probes and communications receivers, Nature Reviews Physics, [online], https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-024-00756-7, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=958010 (Accessed October 10, 2025)

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Created September 16, 2024, Updated February 26, 2025
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