Two-dimensional microwave electric field gradient imaging using a MEMS cesium vapor cell

Appl Opt. 2026 May 20;65(15):4976-4982. doi: 10.1364/AO.586993.

Abstract

Two-dimensional imaging of microwave electric field gradients was performed using a MEMS cesium vapor cell based on Rydberg atoms. The variations in probe laser fluorescence intensity, continuously monitored via high-sensitivity CCD imaging at 24.038 GHz, enabled detailed analysis of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and Autler-Townes (AT) splitting effects. By establishing the quantitative relation between the splitting interval (Δf) and the electric field intensity, spatial electric field gradient distributions were accurately measured. The experimental results demonstrated a minimum detectable electric field strength of 1.22 V/m and a spatial resolution of 151.2 µm, with the measurement error in electric field strength maintained below 2%.