Sensitivity enhancement of S-band Rydberg atom microwave receiver enabled by resonant cavity field confinement
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Rydberg atomic electrometry stands as a paradigm-shifting quantum metrology platform, featuring intrinsic SI-traceable absolute field calibration, broad spectral coverage, and room-temperature operability, which renders it transformative for next-generation wireless communication, radar detection, and electromagnetic spectrum monitoring. Nevertheless, the feeble free-space coupling between high-excitation Rydberg atoms and propagating microwave fields constitutes a fundamental performance bottleneck, severely degrading field detection sensitivity and restricting its deployment in weak-signal remote sensing scenarios. Herein, we propose and experimentally validate a horn antenna integrated resonant cavity enhancement architecture to drastically amplify atom-microwave interaction strength for long-distance S-band free-space microwave reception. Utilizing a two-photon excited cesium atomic vapor cell, the antenna-cavity synergistic configuration achieves an optimal electric field sensitivity of 2.33 nV / cm / Hz . Compared with the state-of-the-art optimized bare vapor cell benchmark, the system realizes a remarkable 17.9 dB sensitivity gain. This work establishes a robust hardware-enabled enhancement strategy for Rydberg quantum sensors, paving a feasible route toward high-fidelity microwave metrology and practical wireless quantum receiving systems under real-world complex electromagnetic environments.
Source: Optics Express
DOI: 10.1364/oe.614887
Authors: Yipeng Xie, Xinbing Chen, Mingwei Lei, Meng Shi
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,270
Awards: G4004226325, G6821126745, G7132975638
OpenAlex ID: W7163405678