Atomic superheterodyne receiver based on microwave-dressed Rydberg spectroscopy

The highly sensitive, phase- and frequency-resolved detection of microwave electric fields is of central importance for diverse fields ranging from astronomy, remote sensing, communication and microwave quantum technology. However, present quantum sensing of microwave electric fields primarily relies on atom-based electrometers only enabling amplitude measurement. Moreover, the best sensitivity of atom-based electrometers is limited by photon shot noise to few $\mu$Vcm$^{-1}$Hz$^{-1/2}$: While going beyond is in principle possible by using squeezed light or Schrodinger-cat state, the former is very challenging for atomic experiments while the latter is feasible in all but very small atomic systems. Here we report a novel microwave electric field quantum sensor termed as quantum superhet, which, for the first time, enables experimental measurement of phase and frequency, and makes a sensitivity few tens of nVcm$^{-1}$Hz$^{-1/2}$ readily accessible for current experiments. This sensor is based on microwave-dressed Rydberg atoms and tailored optical spectrum, with very favorable scalings on sensitivity gains. We can experimentally achieve a sensitivity of $55$ nVcm$^{-1}$Hz$^{-1/2}$, with the minimum detectable field being three orders of magnitude smaller than existing quantum electrometers. We also measure phase and frequency, being able to reach a frequency accuracy of few tens of $\mu$Hz for microwave field of just few tens of nVcm$^{-1}$. Our technique can be also applied to sense electric fields at terahertz or radio frequency. This work is a first step towards realizing the long sought-after electromagnetic-wave quantum sensors with quantum projection noise limited sensitivity, promising broad applications such as in radio telescope, terahertz communication and quantum control.