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An atomic sensor for direct detection of weak microwave signals

Published

Author(s)

Vladislav Gerginov, Fabio C. da Silva, Craig Nelson, Archita Hati

Abstract

This paper demonstrates direct detection of weak signals at microwave frequencies based on parametric frequency conversion. The atomic medium is optically pumped by a resonant light field and prepared in a coherent atomic superposition by a weak microwave field. The coherent atomic superposition causes a parametric modulation of the polarization of a probe light field at the microwave field frequency. An upper limit magnetic field component sensitivity of 1.2(1.0) pT/Hz1/2, corresponding to 3.7(3.1)-µV/cm/Hz1/2 electric field component sensitivity, is achieved at ∼6.835 GHz with a 33-mm3 vapor cell.
Citation
IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques

Keywords

atomic coherence, atomic magnetometer, microwave detection, parametric conversion

Citation

Gerginov, V. , da Silva, F. , Nelson, C. and Hati, A. (2019), An atomic sensor for direct detection of weak microwave signals, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques (Accessed October 9, 2024)

Issues

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Created August 16, 2019, Updated June 6, 2024