Atom Based Sensing of Weak Radio Frequency Electric Fields Using Homodyne Readout

Abstract

We utilize a homodyne detection technique to achieve a new sensitivity limit for atom-based, absolute radio-frequency electric field sensing of 5 V cm1 Hz1/2. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer is used for the homodyne detection. With the increased sensitivity, we investigate the dominant dephasing mechanisms that affect the performance of the sensor. In particular, we present data on power broadening, collisional broadening and transit time broadening. Our results are compared to density matrix calculations. We show that photon shot noise in the signal readout is currently a limiting factor. We suggest that new approaches with superior readout with respect to photon shot noise are needed to increase the sensitivity further

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 20, 2017
Accession Number
AD1057152

Entities

People

  • Haoquan Fan
  • Harald Kübler
  • James P. Shaffer
  • Jiteng Sheng
  • Santosh Kumar

Organizations

  • University of Oklahoma

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Atoms
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Dipole Moments
  • Doppler Effect
  • Electric Fields
  • Frequency
  • Ground State
  • Homodyne Detection
  • Laser Beams
  • Measurement
  • Radiation
  • Rydberg Atoms
  • Scattering
  • Shot Noise
  • Spectra

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Quantum spin resonance or Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy.
  • Spectroscopy.