Patent ID: 8310230

Claim:
A method for sensing a microwave magnetic field polarization component of a microwave field generated by a microwave device, comprising the steps of: generating a static magnetic field having a predetermined amplitude and a predetermined direction relative to the microwave magnetic field polarization component to be sensed, preparing an atom cloud of ultracold probe atoms in defined hyperfine levels, wherein the hyperfine levels of the probe atoms are split in transition frequencies by the static magnetic field, applying a microwave pulse including the microwave magnetic field polarization component to be sensed to the atom cloud, wherein a spatial state distribution of the probe atoms is created by Rabi oscillations during the microwave pulse between the hyperfine levels of the probe atoms being resonant with the microwave magnetic field polarization component, and collecting a state image of the probe atoms, said state image depending on the spatial state distribution of the probe atoms and representing the magnetic field polarization component to be sensed.