Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 27

RF & Microwave Technology
Physicists Develop
a New Type of Antenna
A
team of University of Otago
researchers and physicists have
demonstrated a new form of
antenna, developed with a
small glass bulb containing an atomic
vapor. The bulb was wired with laser
beams and could therefore be placed far
from any receiver electronics.
Dr. Susi Otto, from the Dodd-Walls
Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies,
led the field testing of the portable
atomic radio frequency sensor. Such
sensors, that are enabled by atoms in a
so-called Rydberg state, can provide superior
performance over current antenna
technologies as they are highly sensitive,
have broad tunability, and small physical
size, making them attractive for use in
defense and communications.
For example, they could simplify communications
for soldiers on the battlefield
as they cover the full spectrum of
radio frequencies, rather than needing
multiple antennas to cover different frequency
bands, and are super sensitive
and accurate to detect a wide range of
critical signals. The ability to eliminate
the need for multiple sensors also makes
them useful in satellite technology.
Importantly, compared to more traditional
sensors, Rydberg sensors can function
without any metal parts, which can
scatter the radio frequency field of interest
and the atomic sensor is accessed via
laser light, replacing the need for electric
cables. The new design developed by the
team of Otago physicists is portable and
can be taken outside the laboratory. In a
Aerospace & Defense Technology, December 2023
mobilityengineeringtech.com
first out-of-lab demonstration, the sensor
was able to efficiently measure fields
in a distance of 30 meters using a freespace
laser link, adding important flexibility
to Rydberg-atom based sensing
technologies.
The team detailed the development of
the new sensor and its demonstration in
a paper that was recently published in
Applied Physics Letters.
Moving Beyond the Lab and
Physical Constraints
In 2012, a seminal work by Sedlacek et
al. demonstrated the use of Rydberg-excited
87Rb atoms in a glass vapor cell
as a sensitive detector for microwave
fields. In their scheme, the presence and
strength of microwave radiation reso27
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Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023

Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - Intro
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - Sponsor
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - Cover1
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - Cover2
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 1
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 2
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 3
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 4
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 5
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 6
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 7
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 8
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 9
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 10
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 11
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 12
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 13
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 14
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Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 18
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Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 27
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Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - 40
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - Cover3
Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2023 - Cover4
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