Cold atoms image microwave fields
Microwaves are an essential part of modern communication technology. Mobile phones and laptops, for example, are equipped with integrated microwave circuits for wireless communication. Sophisticated techniques for measurement and characterisation of microwave fields are an essential tool for the development of such circuits. A novel technique developed by a group of scientists around Prof. Theodor W. Haensch (Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Munich (LMU)) and Prof. Philipp Treutlein (University of Basel) allows for the direct and complete imaging of microwave magnetic fields with high spatial resolution. In this technique, clouds of ultracold atoms serve as sensors for the microwave field. The technique is described in the cover story of the current issue of Applied Physics Letters...