Continuous radio-frequency electric-field detection through adjacent Rydberg resonance tuning

Abstract

We demonstrate the use of multiple atomic-level Rydberg-atom schemes for continuous frequency detection of radio-frequency (RF) fields. Resonant detection of RF fields by electromagnetically induced transparency and Autler-Townes (AT) splitting in Rydberg atoms is typically limited to frequencies within the narrow bandwidth of a Rydberg transition. By applying a second field resonant with an adjacent Rydberg transition, far-detuned fields can be detected through a two-photon resonance AT splitting. This two-photon AT splitting method is several orders of magnitude more sensitive than off-resonant detection using the Stark shift. We present the results of various experimental configurations and a theoretical analysis to illustrate the effectiveness of this multiple level scheme. These results show that this approach allows for the detection of frequencies in a continuous band between resonances with adjacent Rydberg states.