NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.
Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Effect of Vapor Cell Geometry on Rydberg Atom-based Radio-frequency Electric Field Measurements
Published
Author(s)
Christopher L. Holloway, Joshua A. Gordon
Abstract
A new approach to detect absolute radio-frequency (RF) electric fields (E-fields) that uses Rydberg atoms at room temperature in vapor cells has recently been demonstrated. The large transition dipole moments between energetically adjacent Rydberg states enable this technique to make traceable E-field measurements with high sensitivity over a large frequency range, from 1 GHz to 1 THz. In this paper, we experimentally investigate how the vapor cell geometry affects the accuracy of the measurements. We find that the effects of the vapor cell on the measured RF E-field can be minimized by making the vapor cell size small compared to the wavelength of the RF E-field. 1
Holloway, C.
and Gordon, J.
(2015),
Effect of Vapor Cell Geometry on Rydberg Atom-based Radio-frequency Electric Field Measurements, Physical Review Applied, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=918728
(Accessed October 14, 2025)