Wideband tunable rydberg microwave detector

An electromagnetic field detection system, comprising:

• a vapor cell containing a plurality of quantum particles;
• a first optical assembly configured to optically excite the plurality of quantum particles to a first Rydberg state having a first transition to a second Rydberg state, wherein a first transition energy for the first transition corresponds to a first microwave photon energy;
• a frequency tuner comprising a field controller configured to control a field strength of a tunable field in a portion of the vapor cell, wherein adjusting the tunable field shifts at least one of the first Rydberg state or the second Rydberg state such that a second transition energy for the first transition corresponds to a second microwave photon energy;
• and
• a second optical assembly configured to detect a light spectrum of optical emission of the plurality of quantum particles, wherein the light spectrum comprises an indication of an electromagnetic field signal at a microwave detection frequency.

A method, comprising:

• exciting a plurality of quantum particles in a vapor cell to a first Rydberg state, the first Rydberg state having a first transition to a second Rydberg state corresponding to a first microwave photon energy;
• generating a tunable field in a portion of the vapor cell using a frequency tuner, wherein the tunable field shifts at least one of the first Rydberg state and the second Rydberg state such that the first transition to the second Rydberg state corresponds to a second microwave photon energy that is different from the first microwave photon energy;
• and
• detecting a light spectrum of optical emission of the plurality of quantum particles, wherein the light spectrum comprises an indication of an electromagnetic field, at a microwave detection frequency, that intersects the portion of the vapor cell.