Chip-Scale Packages for a Tunable Wavelength Reference and Laser Cooling Platform

Abstract

The miniaturization of cold-atom systems brings high accuracy into portable atomic metrology. However, the impact of cold-atom sensors in real-world applications has been limited by the overall laser cooling package. This study amalgamates a chip-scale optics setup with a microfabricated laser cooling system to dramatically reduce device size, weight, and power usage. The authors use an on-chip Zeeman offset lock for laser cooling, and demonstrate improved atom number afforded by new techniques in silicon cell fabrication. The simplicity, scalability, and utility demonstrated in this cold-atom platform will enable exciting opportunities in portable cold-atom clocks and interferometers.