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Christopher L. Holloway (Fed)

Electromagnetic Fields Group Leader and Rydberg Atoms/Sensors Project Leader

Dr. Holloway is a NIST Fellow and a Fellow of the IEEE. He has been at NIST since 2000, where he works on electromagnetic theory, atomic physics, quantum optics, quantum-based sensors, and calibration standards. Dr. Holloway was awarded the 2022 Department of Commerce Gold Medal for his work in Rydberg atom-based sensors and the 1999 Department of Commerce Silver Medal for his work on electromagnetic related topics. He also was awarded the 2006 NIST Bronze Medal and the 1998 NTIA Bronze Medal, both for his work in electromagnetics. He also has numerous other awards from various professional societies.  He is the Group Leader for the Electromagnetic Fields Group and the Project Leader for the Rydberg-Atom Sensor Project.

View Dr. Holloway talk Rydberg sensor (the 2025 Hans Liebe Lecture Award)

View Dr. Holloway's talk on Rydberg atom-based Sensors.

View Dr. Holloway's talk on student opportunities at NIST. 

Awards

2022 Department of Commerce Ron Brown Excellence In Innovation Award

2022 Department of Commerce Gold Medal for his work in Rydberg atom-based sensors

2006 EEEL John May-Wells Safety Award “For outstanding safety awareness and safety execution at building implosion sites”

2006 NIST Bronze Medal for improving radio communication for emergency responders

1999 Department of Commerce Silver Medal for his work on electromagnetic related topic

1998 NTIA/DOC Bronze Medal for his work on electromagnetic related topic

Publications

Primary quantum thermometry of mm-wave blackbody radiation via induced state transfer in Rydberg states of cold atoms

Author(s)
Noah Schlossberger, Andrew Rotunno, Stephen Eckel, Eric Norrgard, Dixith Manchaiah, Nikunjkumar Prajapati, Alexandra Artusio-Glimpse, Samuel Berweger, Matthew Simons, Dangka Shylla, William Watterson, Charles Patrick, Adil Meraki, Rajavardhan Talashila, Amanda Younes, David La Mantia, Christopher Holloway
Rydberg states of alkali-metal atoms are highly sensitive to electromagnetic radiation in the GHz-to-THz regime because their transitions have large electric di

Calibration of Autler-Townes based electrometry in Rydberg states of alkali atoms

Author(s)
Noah Schlossberger, Nikunjkumar Prajapati, Alexandra Artusio-Glimpse, Samuel Berweger, Matthew Simons, William Watterson, Dangka Shylla, Christopher Holloway
Highly excited states of alkali atoms are a powerful tool for making SI-traceable electric field measurements without the need for an external reference
View more Publications

Patents (2018-Present)

Atomic Vapor Cell And Making An Atomic Vapor Cell

NIST Inventors
Christopher L. Holloway , Alexandra (Aly) Artusio-Glimpse , Vladimir Aksyuk and Matt Simons
An atomic vapor cell for performing RF measurements includes: a first optical window of transparent nonconducting material free of electrically conductive materials; an intermediate frame of transparent nonconducting material free of electrically conductive materials; a second optical window

Atomic Vapor Cell And Making An Atomic Vapor Cell

NIST Inventors
Christopher L. Holloway , Alexandra (Aly) Artusio-Glimpse , Vladimir Aksyuk , Matt Simons and John Kitching
Research over the past ten years into atomic sensors has allowed for controlled ensembles of room temperature atoms in such a manner that we are able to develop interesting and unique devices. Beside SI traceable E-field probes, other applications range from atom-based receivers to imaging
Description of Patent 11,165,505

Quantum Atomic Receiving Antenna and Quantum Sensing of Radiofrequency Radiation

NIST Inventors
Josh Gordon and Christopher L. Holloway
A quantum atomic receiving antenna includes: a probe laser; a coupling laser; an atomic vapor cell that includes: a spherically shaped or parallelepiped-shaped atomic vapor space and Rydberg antenna atoms. These undergo a radiofrequency Rydberg transition to produce quantum antenna light from probe
View All Patents
Created October 9, 2019, Updated March 10, 2025