Vapor-Cell-Induced Uncertainty in Rydberg Atom Measurements via the Electric-Field Volume-Integral-Equation Method

Abstract: Electromagnetic scattering effects of a vapor cell on electric-field measurements using Rydberg atom-based sensors are analyzed with the aid of the volume integral equation method. In a manner similar to measurement, this computational approach determines the electric field over grid points within the vapor cell. Its relatively high computational efficiency makes it suitable for use in optimization routines and statistical uncertainty studies. We apply this method to compare uncertainty contributions arising due to the presence of the vapor cell, such as uncertainty in the glass relative permittivity or standing wave formation inside the cell, to those arising from the atomic spectroscopic measurement, such as uncertainty in the atomic dipole moment. For vapor cell dimensions less than half a wavelength, the dominant uncertainty source arises from uncertainty in the glass relative permittivity, resulting in a total uncertainty of $\sim$3.5\% -- comparable to the best uncertainties obtained with traditional field generation methods at national metrology institutes. Precise permittivity measurements have the potential to further reduce measurement uncertainty to $<1$\%.