Sensitive imaging of electromagnetic fields with paramagnetic polar molecules

Abstract

We propose a method for sensitive parallel detection of low-frequency electromagnetic fields based on the fine structure interactions in paramagnetic polar molecules. Compared to the recently implemented scheme employing ultracold 87 Rb atoms [Böhi et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 051101 (2010)], the technique based on molecules offers a 100-fold higher sensitivity, the possibility to measure both the electric and magnetic field components, and a probe of a wide range of frequencies from the dc limit to the THz regime.

Ground- and excited-state properties of the polar and paramagnetic RbSr molecule: A comparative study

“…A very interesting class of quantum simulators has been proposed by Micheli et al [5] employing molecules with both an electric and magnetic permanent dipole moment in their own frame. Such molecules reveal fascinating potential for high-precision measurements (for example the YbF molecule is being used in the determination of bounds for the electric dipole moment of the electron [16]) or for sensitive imaging of low-frequency electromagnetic fields [17]. In the rest of the paper we will qualify in short such species as paramagnetic and polar molecules.…”

Zeeman-Tuned Rotational Level-Crossing Spectroscopy in a Diatomic Free Radical

“…This should make it feasible to measure small, poorly understood effects such as those due to nuclear anapole moments and axial hadronic-vector electronic electroweak couplings [3,5,6]. This type of level crossing has also been identified as an attractive system for quantum simulations of conical intersections [7] or magnetic excitons [8], and for sensitive detection of electric fields [9].Here we report an experimental study of Zeeman-tuned rotational level crossings in 138 BaF. Using an electric field pulse to induce transitions between the near-degenerate levels, we demonstrate the ability to understand and control the system with energy resolution at the kHz scale, as desired for the measurement of nuclear spin-dependent PV effects in similar systems.…”

“…This should make it feasible to measure small, poorly understood effects such as those due to nuclear anapole moments and axial hadronic-vector electronic electroweak couplings [3,5,6]. This type of level crossing has also been identified as an attractive system for quantum simulations of conical intersections [7] or magnetic excitons [8], and for sensitive detection of electric fields [9].…”

Rabi resonance in Cs atoms and its application to microwave magnetic field measurement

“…We note also that a MW magnetic field can be measured by means of Rabi oscillations [35][36][37][38][39][40][41]. Rabi oscillations present a multi-peak feature in measurement, in which the Rabi frequency for a given power level is determined by fitting the data to a cosine function.…”

“…Recently, atom-based microwave (MW) measurement has also inspired great interest because of its potential ability to link the MW quantities with SI units. As a result, relying on various physical principles, many atom-based MW sensors have been developed [1], such as the MW power standard [16][17][18][19], MW electrometry [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32], MW electric/magnetic field imaging [22,[33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40], and MW magnetometers [41,42]. As compared to traditional measurement, atom-based measurement is intrinsically calibrated where field strength is translated into Rabi frequency W via well-known atomic constants.…”