On-demand instantaneous bandwidth microwave receiver via scalable Rydberg Vapor cell array with Stark comb

Rydberg-atom-based microwave (MW) sensors offer high sensitivity and intrinsic traceability, but their instantaneous bandwidth is fundamentally limited by atomic coherence time. Here, we introduce a scalable sensing architecture that overcomes this limitation by spatially multiplexing atomic detection channels with a Stark comb, in which an MW frequency comb (MFC) and a position-dependent Stark field enable each Rydberg vapor cell to function as an independent frequency-selective heterodyne receiver. We experimentally validate the 210 MHz instantaneous-bandwidth channelized receiver architecture through sequential characterization of individual Stark-shifted channels using a 21-line MFC, while maintaining an overall sensitivity of 326.6 nVcm −1 Hz −1/2 despite a 160 MHz tuning of the carrier resonance frequency. Full simultaneous operation across the 210 MHz bandwidth requires parallel implementation and readout of all channels. This scalable architecture enables on-demand instantaneous bandwidth while preserving sensitivity, providing a pathway toward real-time broadband MW detection for radar, communications, and spectrum monitoring.