Entanglement-enhanced radio-frequency field detection and waveform sensing

Abstract

We demonstrate a new technique for detecting components of arbitrarily-shaped radio-frequency waveforms based on stroboscopic back-action evading measurements. We combine quantum non-demolition measurements and stroboscopic probing to detect waveform components with magnetic sensitivity beyond the standard quantum limit. Using an ensemble of $1.5\times 10^6$ cold rubidium atoms, we demonstrate entanglement-enhanced sensing of sinusoidal and linearly chirped waveforms, with 1.0(2)dB and 0.8(3)dB metrologically relevant noise reduction, respectively. We achieve volume-adjusted sensitivity of $δ\rm{B}\sqrt{V}\approx 11.20~\rm{fT\sqrt{cm^3/Hz}}$, comparable to the best RF~magnetometers.