Low-frequency atomic electrometry
| DWPI Title: Method for measuring electric field in vapor cell of atomic electrometer, involves generating bias electric field inside vapor cell by shining light into vapor cell from light source situated outside of cell |
| Abstract: In a method of atomic electrometry, EIT spectroscopy is performed on host atoms of an alkali metal in a vapor cell. The EIT spectroscopy indicates a resonant energy of a probed Rydberg state of the host atoms. The vapor cell is exposed to an ambient electric field. A shift in the resonant energy as indicated by the EIT spectroscopy is observed and interpreted as a measurement of the ambient field. During the measurement of the ambient field, a bias electric field is generated inside the vapor cell by shining light into the vapor cell from a light source situated outside of the cell. The bias field is useful for increasing the sensitivity of the measurement. |
| Use: Method for measuring an electric field in a vapor cell of an atomic electrometer. |
| Advantage: The method enables drastically reducing a low-frequency screening effect and adding the electric bias field within an envelope of the vapor cell that enhances sensitivity of the electrometer at weak signal levels. |
| Novelty: The method involves optically probing a Rydberg state of host atoms. An EIT spectroscopy is performed to detect a resonance of the probed Rydberg state. A vapor cell is exposed to an electric field that is to be measured, referred to an ambient field. An energy shift of the resonance due to the ambient field is detected by the EIT spectroscopy. A bias electric field inside the vapor cell is generated by shining light into the vapor cell from a light source situated outside of the vapor cell while detecting the energy shift, where the bias electric field due to surface charges is photoinduced by the light from the light source. |
| Filed: 11/19/2021 |
| Application Number: US17531306A |
| Tech ID: SD 15126.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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