Rydberg atom-based microwave electrometry and its applications

The precision measurement of microwave electric fields holds crucial and diverse applications in sensing, radar astronomy and communication. In the past decades, significant progress has been made in Rydberg-atom-based microwave electrometry, which employs the strong response of the Rydberg atoms to external electric field to realize precise measurement. In comparison to conventional metal probe sensors, these atomic sensors present several potential advantages. Firstly, they allo w SI-traceable measurements, ensuring the precision and dependability of outcomes. Secondly, the employment of non-metallic probes permits non-destructive detection, thereby minimizing disturbance to the field being measured. Additionally, unlike traditional probes with limited response frequency ranges constrained by their dimensions, Rydberg-atom-based microwave sensor can measure the microwave field across a broad frequency spectrum, ranging from 1 GHz to 1 THz, using a single experimental setup. Here, we review the development of the Rydberg-atom-based microwave electrometry and its applications briefly.