Rushton J A, Aldous M, Himsworth M D
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom.
Rev Sci Instrum. 2014 Dec;85(12):121501. doi: 10.1063/1.4904066.
Experiments using laser cooled atoms and ions show real promise for practical applications in quantum-enhanced metrology, timing, navigation, and sensing as well as exotic roles in quantum computing, networking, and simulation. The heart of many of these experiments has been translated to microfabricated platforms known as atom chips whose construction readily lend themselves to integration with larger systems and future mass production. To truly make the jump from laboratory demonstrations to practical, rugged devices, the complex surrounding infrastructure (including vacuum systems, optics, and lasers) also needs to be miniaturized and integrated. In this paper we explore the feasibility of applying this approach to the Magneto-Optical Trap; incorporating the vacuum system, atom source and optical geometry into a permanently sealed micro-litre system capable of maintaining 10(-10) mbar for more than 1000 days of operation with passive pumping alone. We demonstrate such an engineering challenge is achievable using recent advances in semiconductor microfabrication techniques and materials.
使用激光冷却的原子和离子进行的实验在量子增强计量、计时、导航和传感等实际应用以及量子计算、网络和模拟等奇特应用方面展现出了真正的前景。许多此类实验的核心已被转化到被称为原子芯片的微制造平台上，其结构便于与更大的系统集成以及未来的大规模生产。为了真正从实验室演示迈向实用、坚固的设备，复杂的周边基础设施（包括真空系统、光学器件和激光器）也需要小型化并集成。在本文中，我们探讨了将这种方法应用于磁光阱的可行性；将真空系统、原子源和光学几何结构整合到一个永久密封的微升系统中，该系统仅通过被动抽气就能在超过1000天的运行中维持10(-10) 毫巴的压力。我们证明，利用半导体微制造技术和材料的最新进展，这样的工程挑战是可以实现的。
