Atomic Receiver by Utilizing Multiple Radio-Frequency Coupling at Rydberg States of Rubidium

• Published in: Applied sciences Vol. 10; no. 4; p. 1346
• Main Authors: Zou, Haiyang, Song, Zhenfei, Mu, Huihui, Feng, Zhigang, Qu, Jifeng, Wang, Qilong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.02.2020
• Subjects: Amplitude modulation; Antennas; Bit error rate; Data transfer (computers); Electromagnetic interference; Frequency dependence; Frequency division multiplexing; Lasers; microwave communication; Microwave communications; Microwaves; Power consumption; Receivers & amplifiers; Rubidium; rydberg atoms; Rydberg states; Sensitivity; Spectrum allocation; Spectrum analysis
• DOI: 10.3390/app10041346
• ISSN: 2076-3417

Rydberg atoms have been extensively utilized in microwave measurement with high sensitivity, which has great potential in the field of communication. In this study, we discuss the digital communication based on a Rydberg atomic receiver under simultaneously coupling by resonant and near detuning microwaves. In addition, we verify the feasibility of the Rydberg atom-based frequency division multiplexing (FDM) in microwave communication. We demonstrate the principle and performance of the atom-based FDM receiver by applying amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM), respectively. To demonstrate the actual communication performance at different data transfer rates, we consider monochromatic images as an example. The experimental results show that the maximum acceptable data transfer rate of both AM and FM is about 200 kbps, whereas their maximum bit error rates (BER) is less than 5%. When compared with the traditional electronic receiver, this atomic receiver, which is compatible with FDM, has numerous advantages, such as small size, low power consumption, and high sensitivity. Furthermore, this receiver has a strong ability of anti-electromagnetic interference, and the signals transmitted do not interfere with each other in different channels.