University of Otago physicists have used a small glass bulb containing an atomic vapor to demonstrate a new form of antenna for radio waves. The bulb was "wired up" with laser beams and could therefore be placed far from any receiver electronics.
“In October 2018, the United States Army Research Laboratory publicly discussed efforts to develop a super wideband radio receiver using Rydberg atoms. In March 2020, the laboratory announced that its scientists analysed the Rydberg sensor’s sensitivity to oscillating electric fields over an enormous range of frequencies—from 0 to 1012 Hz (the spectrum to 0.3mm wavelength). The Rydberg sensor can reliably detect signals over the entire spectrum and compare favourably with other established electric field sensor technologies, such as electro-optic crystals and dipole antenna-coupled passive electronics.”
“In October 2018, the United States Army Research Laboratory publicly discussed efforts to develop a super wideband radio receiver using Rydberg atoms. In March 2020, the laboratory announced that its scientists analysed the Rydberg sensor’s sensitivity to oscillating electric fields over an enormous range of frequencies—from 0 to 1012 Hz (the spectrum to 0.3mm wavelength). The Rydberg sensor can reliably detect signals over the entire spectrum and compare favourably with other established electric field sensor technologies, such as electro-optic crystals and dipole antenna-coupled passive electronics.”
Wikipedia, Rydberg atom
It’s a neat wiki entry, I recommend it. I hadn’t heard of Rydberg atoms before today.
should be 1012 Hz or 1 THz