Rydberg Atomic Quantum Radio: A Comprehensive Survey From Wireless Communication Perspective

Next-generation space-air-ground-sea integrated networks (SAGSIN) impose unprecedented demands on advanced radio frequency (RF) receivers for full-spectrum agility, ultra-high sensitivity, and anti-jamming resilience, pushing conventional electronic receivers to their physical limits. To address these challenges, the Rydberg atomic quantum (RAQ) radio has emerged as a promising quantum-enabled receiver paradigm that directly maps electromagnetic fields onto atomic quantum states, offering an alternative to alleviate bottlenecks of conventional RF front ends. To provide a clear research roadmap, this survey presents a comprehensive review of RAQ radios by bridging atomic physics and wireless communications. Specifically, we first introduce the underlying quantum mechanisms, representative architectures, and atomic response models of RAQ radio. On this basis, state-of-the-art techniques for enhancing sensitivity, instantaneous bandwidth, and operating frequency are systematically reviewed, with particular emphasis on the inherent trade-offs among these key metrics. To connect quantum response with communication theory, we further analyze equivalent channel modeling frameworks for characterizing systematic performance limits. From the wireless communication perspective, some RAQ-enabled advanced technologies including cognitive, interference-resilient, low-frequency and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications are reviewed, alongside emerging deployment scenarios such as satellite networks, integrated sensing and communications, and reconfigurable intelligent surface-assisted systems. Finally, we identify open challenges and provide potential future directions of RAQ radio to inspire the further exploration.

Unified Analytical Model for Atomic Receivers Under Typical Quantum Interference Paths

Atomic receivers, which leverage the quantum interference termed electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) for radio-frequency (RF) to optical signal transduction, offer a revolutionary paradigm for next-generation wireless communications. However, current information-theoretic characterizations are predominantly restricted to the Ξ-type of EIT path and rely heavily on the weak-probe approximation, which fails to predict the behavior of the atomic receivers under high signal-to-noise ratio regimes. In this paper, we establish a unified analytical model for atomic receivers, and apply this model to three typical quantum interference paths, i.e., V -type, Λ-type, and Ξ-type configurations. To provide a universal characterization, we propose the quantum coherence transfer coefficient (QCTC) to model the equivalent channel response induced by atomic receivers, using a steady-state perturbation framework built on the three-level EIT solution. The closed-form expressions of equivalent channel gains are then derived for three paths. Our results provide an analytical foundation for future capacity analysis and waveform optimization in atomic radio communication.

Doppler-Resilient Rydberg Atomic Receiver for High-Dynamic Communication Networks via Adaptive Local Oscillator Tracking

Rydberg atomic receiver has emerged as promising candidate for next-generation wireless communication, due to the exceptional sensitivity and ability to overcome the physical limitations of traditional radio frequency antennas. Utilizing the resonant response of atomic energy levels for signal detection, Rydberg atomic receiver is inherently confined to a narrow instantaneous bandwidth. However, in high-mobility scenarios such as satellite communications, the severe Doppler effect induces carrier frequency offsets, which drive the signal beyond the instantaneous bandwidth and result in severe distortion. In this paper, we propose an adaptive local oscillator (LO) tracking Rydberg atomic receiver architecture designed to lock high-dynamic signals within the effective atomic response bandwidth. By employing a cross-product automatic frequency control (CPAFC) algorithm, the system dynamically estimates the instantaneous frequency offset, generates a corresponding error control signal, and adjusts the LO frequency through a feedback loop. Consequently, the intermediate frequency signal can always be locked close to the center of the atomic response bandwidth regardless of dynamics. Simulation results show that the proposed architecture significantly outperforms existing Rydberg atomic receiver, effectively alleviating performance degradation in high-dynamic environments.