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  • Open Access

Rydberg atom reception of a handheld UHF frequency-modulated two-way radio

Noah Schlossberger1,*, Tate McDonald2,1, Nikunjkumar Prajapati1, and Christopher L. Holloway1

  • *Contact author: noah.schlossberger@nist.gov
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Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 024031 – Published 10 February, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/jlrg-6889

Abstract

Rydberg atoms, due to their large polarizabilities and strong transition dipole moments, have been utilized as sensitive electric field sensors. While their ability to detect modulated signals has been previously demonstrated, these studies have largely been limited to laboratory-generated signals tailored specifically to atomic detection. Here, we extend the practical applicability of Rydberg sensors by demonstrating the reception of real-world frequency-modulated (FM) audio transmissions using a consumer-grade handheld two-way radio operating in the UHF band. Detection is based on the ac Stark shift induced by the radio signal in a Rydberg atomic vapor, with demodulation performed using an offset local oscillator and lock-in amplification. We successfully demodulate speech signals and evaluate the audio spectral response and reception range. We show that all consumer-accessible radio channels can be simultaneously detected, and demonstrate simultaneous reception of two neighboring channels with at least 53 dB of isolation. This work underscores the potential of Rydberg atom-based receivers for practical, real-world FM signal detection.

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References (39)

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Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 024031– Published 10 February, 2026
  • Received 16 September 2025
  • Revised 18 December 2025
  • Accepted 13 January 2026
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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