A Novel Rydberg Atom-Based Time Receiving System with Nanosecond-Jitter for eLoran Signals

Rydberg atom-based time-receiving systems enable high-sensitivity demodulation of long-wave signals for precise one-pulse-per-second (1PPS) output, surpassing the limitations of conventional long-wave receivers. Here, we first report the theoretical and experimental demonstration of a nanosecond-jitter Rydberg time-receiving system for eLoran signals. We establish a novel theoretical model that quantitatively reveals the relationship between timing jitter and system parameters, exemplified by the DC Stark shift and the coupling-beam Rabi frequency. Experimentally, we first demonstrate 1PPS timing output based on an atomic system, achieving a root-mean-square (RMS) timing jitter of 27.90 ± 0.39 ns. Furthermore, we demonstrate the timing performance of our system across high-noise conditions and at low input signal amplitudes, validating its robustness under practical weak eLoran signal conditions. This work validates the feasibility of Rydberg atom-based architectures for high-precision ground-based timing and establishes a performance benchmark for next-generation atomic-optical positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems.