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arXiv:0911.5274 · Optics Express

High quality anti-relaxation coating material for alkali atom vapor cells

M. V. Balabas, K. Jensen, W. Wasilewski, H. Krauter, Lars S. Madsen, J. H. Müller, T. Fernholz, E. S. Polzik

Published Mar 9, 2010• 81 citations
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Abstract

We present an experimental investigation of alkali atom vapor cells coated with a high quality anti-relaxation coating material based on alkenes. The prepared cells with single compound alkene based coating showed the longest spin relaxation times which have been measured up to now with room temperature vapor cells. Suggestions are made that chemical binding of a cesium atom and an alkene molecule by attack to the C = C bond plays a crucial role in such improvement of anti-relaxation coating quality.

DOI
10.1364/oe.18.005825

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We present an experimental investigation of alkali atom vapor cells coated with a high quality anti-relaxation coating material based on alkenes. The prepared cells with single compound alkene based coating showed the longest spin relaxation times which have been measured up to now with room temperature vapor cells. Suggestions are made that chemical binding of a cesium atom and an alkene molecule by attack to the C=C bond plays a crucial role in such improvement of anti-relaxation coating quality.
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Atomic vapor-cell quantum memories are key devices for quantum information science. Anti-relaxation coatings on the inner surface of the cell suppress ground-state dephasing caused by atom-wall collisions, thereby improving memory performance. Nevertheless, systematic performance comparisons of vapor-cell quantum memories with different anti-relaxation coatings under identical conditions remain limited. Here, we experimentally compare quantum-memory performance in cesium vapor cells with and without anti-relaxation coatings-uncoated, paraffin-coated, and alkene-coated-under otherwise identical conditions to assess coating-dependent effects. Using electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) as the light storage protocol, we characterize transmission, memory efficiency, and storage lifetime. The alkene-coated cell yields the largest enhancement in retrieval efficiency-more than fourfold relative to the uncoated cell and more than twofold relative to the paraffin-coated cell-while exhibiting a modest (approximately 16%) increase in storage lifetime. These results provide a systematic benchmark for evaluating anti-relaxation coatings and for this instance, identify alkene coatings as an effective choice for improving retrieval efficiency in warm-vapor-cell memories.
In the process of miniaturizing atomic spin gyroscopes, the relaxation due to the wall collisions of the alkali vapor cell leads to a shorter transverse relaxation time, which increases the key index of the atomic spin gyroscope, the angle random walk, and reduces the gyroscope’s accuracy. This paper theoretically analyzes the thermal stability of the interaction between the new anti-relaxation coating and molecules of the vapor cell, as well as the surface energy of the anti-relaxation coating molecular groups. Based on the results, a new anti-relaxation coating material and its preparation process were proposed. A novel anti-relaxation coating was experimentally prepared. Compositional analysis confirmed its successful covalent bonding with hydroxyl groups on the cell inner-surface, demonstrating superior thermal stability. Through comparative experiments including surface morphology analysis, contact angle measurement, and transverse relaxation time measurement, the new anti-relaxation coating proposed in this paper exhibits lower surface energy. It also has more excellent anti-relaxation performance compared to the traditional OTS anti-relaxation coating.