Rydberg-atom microwave angle-of-arrival detection via cylindrical vapor-cell-mediated field redistribution
Abstract
Microwave angle-of-arrival(AoA) measurement is essential for radar, communication, and spectrum mon-itoring. Existing Rydberg-atom-based AoA schemes employ phase-difference measurements with local oscil-lators, standing-wave fluorescence imaging, or amplitude-ratio readout with internal metal reflectors. Here we demonstrate a new approach: a cylindrical glass vapor cell serving directly as an angle-encoding dielectric structure, eliminating the need for multiple apertures, local oscillators, or imaging optics. The cylindrical geometry produces angle-dependent reflection and field redistribution, mapping the incident AoA onto the effective microwave field sampled by the Rydberg ensemble. This effective field is read out optically via the Autler-Townes(A-T) splitting in the electromagnetically induced transparency(EIT) spectrum. Full-wave simulations and experiments at 11.64 GHz confirm a deterministic, geometry-mediated response over 0°-90°.Over the monotonic operating range(55°-125°), the angular resolution(minimum distinguishable increment)is 0.05°, and the angular accuracy(RMSE of repeated measurements) is 0.13° across the full range, improving to 0.05° in the optimal region(65°-115°). Occupying a sensing volume of~2.5 cm3, this method offers a compact, single-sensor pathway toward Rydberg AoA receivers.
Related
- Rydberg-mediated microwave-to-optical transduction with tunable bandwidth
- Gravitational-Wave Modulation of Atomic Spontaneous Emission: Electrodynamical Theory, Quadrupolar Redistribution, and Rydberg Cavity Metrology
- Sensitivity Enhancement of S-Band Rydberg Atom Microwave Receiver Enabled by Resonant Cavity Field Confinement
- On-demand instantaneous bandwidth microwave receiver via scalable Rydberg Vapor cell array with Stark comb
- Mediating gates between polar molecules using microwave-dressed Rydberg atoms
BibTeX
@misc{liu2026rydbergatom,
title = {{Rydberg-atom microwave angle-of-arrival detection via cylindrical vapor-cell-mediated field redistribution}},
author = {Peicheng Liu and Xingchen Hu and Yong Gao and Ao-Lin Guo and Yuan Ren and Hao Wu},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2609.02044},
eprint = {2609.02044},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.02044},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Rydberg-atom microwave angle-of-arrival detection via cylindrical vapor-cell-mediated field redistribution
AU - Peicheng Liu
AU - Xingchen Hu
AU - Yong Gao
AU - Ao-Lin Guo
AU - Yuan Ren
AU - Hao Wu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/02
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2609.02044
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.02044
AB - Microwave angle-of-arrival(AoA) measurement is essential for radar, communication, and spectrum mon-itoring. Existing Rydberg-atom-based AoA schemes employ phase-difference measurements with local oscil-lators, standing-wave fluorescence imaging, or amplitude-ratio readout with internal metal reflectors. Here we demonstrate a new approach: a cylindrical glass vapor cell serving directly as an angle-encoding dielectric structure, eliminating the need for multiple apertures, local oscillators, or imaging optics. The cylindrical geometry produces angle-dependent reflection and field redistribution, mapping the incident AoA onto the effective microwave field sampled by the Rydberg ensemble. This effective field is read out optically via the Autler-Townes(A-T) splitting in the electromagnetically induced transparency(EIT) spectrum. Full-wave simulations and experiments at 11.64 GHz confirm a deterministic, geometry-mediated response over 0°-90°.Over the monotonic operating range(55°-125°), the angular resolution(minimum distinguishable increment)is 0.05°, and the angular accuracy(RMSE of repeated measurements) is 0.13° across the full range, improving to 0.05° in the optimal region(65°-115°). Occupying a sensing volume of~2.5 cm3, this method offers a compact, single-sensor pathway toward Rydberg AoA receivers.
ER -