Data communications system using an optical antenna

A system for a radio-over-fiber (RoF) information linkage, the system comprising:

• a vapor cell enclosing a gas of atoms, the vapor cell configured to be coupled to an information signal source via an RF field, the information signal source configured to generate an information signal of a data transfer protocol, wherein the RF field is a carrier frequency modulated by the information signal;
• a probing light source configured to propagate a probing light beam through the vapor cell, a frequency of the probing light beam being fixed within a range in which the atoms transition from a first quantum state to a second quantum state;
• and,
• a coupling light source configured to propagate a coupling light beam through the vapor cell, a frequency of the coupling light beam being either resonant or off-resonant with transition of the atoms from the second quantum state to a Rydberg state;
• wherein the vapor cell is configured such that on exposure thereof to the RF field that is the carrier frequency modulated by the information signal, the system is configured to encode the information signal into the probing light beam,
• wherein the probing light source is configured to couple the probing light beam to an optical fiber after the probing light beam passes through the vapor cell, wherein the optical fiber is configured to carry the probing light beam to a remote optical detector.