Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:2510.11902

Fabrication of an atom chip for Rydberg atom-metal surface interaction studies

Owen Cherry, Carter, J. D., Martin, J. D. D.

Published Oct 13, 2025• 3 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

An atom chip has been fabricated for the study of interactions between $^{87}$Rb Rydberg atoms and a Au surface. The chip tightly confines cold atoms by generating high magnetic field gradients using microfabricated current-carrying wires. These trapped atoms may be excited to Rydberg states at well-defined atom-surface distances. For the purpose of Rydberg atom-surface interaction studies, the chip has a thermally evaporated Au surface layer, separated from the underlying trapping wires by a planarizing polyimide dielectric. Special attention was paid to the edge roughness of the trapping wires, the planarization of the polyimide, and the grain structure of the Au surface.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2510.11902

Related papers

An atom chip for the manipulation of ultracold atoms

Owen Cherry, J. D. Carter, J. D. D. Martin

We have fabricated an atom chip that magnetically traps laser cooled 87Rb by generating high magnetic-field gradients using micrometre scale current-carrying wires. The wires are fabricated on a Si wafer (with a 40 nm SiO2 layer) using 1.2 μm thick Au and a 20 nm thick adhesion layer, and are patterned with lift-off photolithography. We characterize the number and temperature of the cold atoms trapped by the chip.

Canadian Journal of Physics•Jun 1, 2009•6 citations

An apparatus for studying interactions between Rydberg atoms and metal surfaces

Jeffrey David Carter

A system suitable for studying interactions between ⁸⁷Rb Rydberg atoms and metal surfaces has been constructed. This thesis describes the design and construction of the apparatus, and some test results. Atoms in a vapor cell magneto-optical trap are transferred to a macroscopic Ioffe-Pritchard trap, where they will be RF evaporatively cooled and loaded into a magnetic microtrap (atom chip). Confinement of cold clouds at controllable distances (5–200 μm)} from a metal surface is possible. The effects of atom-surface interactions can be studied with Rydberg atom spectroscopy. \n \nSome functionality of the apparatus has been demonstrated. Approximately 1.5×10⁷ atoms were loaded into a mirror MOT, and about 6×10⁶ atoms were optically pumped to the |F=2, m_F=2> hyperfine ground state and confined in a macroscopic Ioffe-Pritchard trap. The temperature of the cloud in the trap was 42 ± 5 μK, and the 1/e lifetime is 1–1.5 s. Forced RF evaporation has been used to measure the magnetic field at the trap minimum, but RF evaporative cooling has not yet been demonstrated.

•Sep 27, 2007•1 citation

Development, Fabrication and Characterisation of Atom Chips

S. Groth

Atom chips are robust and extremely powerful toolboxes for quantum optical experiments, since they make it possible to create exceedingly precise magnetic traps for neutral atoms with minimal field modulations. Accurate manipulation of trapped atoms is feasible with magnetic and electric fields created on the atom chip. Therefore atom chips with high quality surfaces and extremely well defined wires were build (roughness < 20nm). Furthermore new generations of atom chips were developed, like the multi-layer atom chip with contact-free wire crossings, the sub-micron structured atom chip and the semiconducting atom chip. Extensive characterisation measurements of atom chip wires demonstrated that the wires stand current densities of up to 10^7A/cm^2 for seconds and voltage differences of more than 500V over 10µm. From the different materials tested doped silicon with a thin silicon dioxide layer is the best qualified substrate for atom chip fabrication. The atom chips fabricated during this thesis have been used in many successful experiments, yielding numerous results. Moreover this thesis established the basics for many further experiments in atom physics and quantum optics and delivers complete instructions for the fabrication of all developed atom chips as well as an introduction to the experiments.

•Jan 1, 2006•3 citations

Micro-wire Magnetic Trap Chips for use in Ultracold Atom Experiments

Jacques Thibault

In order to take quantum mechanical systems out of the lab and produce practical devices, a method of miniaturizing and integrating apparatus components is needed. In the context of ultracold atomic gas experiments, the ideal method of achieving this miniaturization is the implementation of atom chip technology. By depositing micro-scale current carrying wires onto planar substrates, it is possible to create a magnetic trap capable of confining a cloud of neutral atoms in sufficient proximity to the chip surface for solid state devices to interact with the cloud. This thesis presents our lab’s first steps towards creating an atom chip capable of confining a cloud of rubidium-87. The chip prototypes were developed with the intent to incorporate them into the hybrid system apparatus within our lab. The chips are intended to serve as a platform for facilitating the interaction between the atomic gas ensemble and mesoscopic solid-state devices, allowing for the hybridization of the two systems. In this work I describe the design of the trapping wire configuration and the fabrication of the first two generations of chip prototypes. Additionally, I provide numerical simulations of the produced magnetic field, from which estimates of the trap frequency and depth can be calculated. Finally, I introduce some basic characterization tests of the absolute current limitations and resistive behavior of the chip wires, and the dimensional uniformity of the fabricated wire profiles.

•Jan 1, 2019•1 citation

Atom chips: Fabrication and thermal properties

S. Groth, P. Krüger, S. Wildermuth +5 more

Neutral atoms can be trapped and manipulated with surface mounted microscopic current carrying and charged structures. We present a lithographic fabrication process for such atom chips based on evaporated metal films. The size limit of this process is below 1 μm. At room temperature, thin wires can carry current densities of more than 107A∕cm2 and voltages of more than 500 V. Extensive test measurements for different substrates and metal thicknesses (up to 5 μm) are compared to models for the heating characteristics of the microscopic wires. Among the materials tested, we find that Si is the best suited substrate for atom chips.

arXiv:cond-mat/0404141•Applied Physics Letters•Oct 4, 2004•105 citations

Design, microfabrication and characterization of planarized multilayer atom chips with enhanced heat dissipation

Ho‐Chiao Chuang, Chung-Wen Weng, Hsiang-Fu Li

This paper describes the design and fabrication of planarized multilayer atom chips for an ultrahigh-vacuum system in atomic physics experiments. A fabrication process is developed to define micrometer-scale wire patterns on a silicon substrate and wires are plated by copper electroplating. SU-8 is chosen as the isolation layer between the upper and bottom wires, and its thickness, surface flatness and surface roughness (Ra = 5 nm) are controlled by the chemical–mechanical planarization process. A reflectivity of nearly 90% is measured on the chip surface; thus, the former method of attaching a silver mirror is unnecessary (Du et al 2004 Phys. Rev. A 70 053606). A heat dissipation copper block is incorporated in our chip design to increase the sustainable current densities of upper wires of more than 3.8 × 105 A cm−2. Results show the improvement of 55.74%, compared with the nonheat dissipation design (2.44 × 105 A cm−2), and thus meeting the requirements for chip-based atom trapping experiments.

Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering•Nov 3, 2011•8 citations
An atom chip has been fabricated for the study of interactions between 87^{87}87Rb Rydberg atoms and a Au surface. The chip tightly confines cold atoms by generating high magnetic field gradients using microfabricated current-carrying wires. These trapped atoms may be excited to Rydberg states at well-defined atom-surface distances. For the purpose of Rydberg atom-surface interaction studies, the chip has a thermally evaporated Au surface layer, separated from the underlying trapping wires by a planarizing polyimide dielectric. Special attention was paid to the edge roughness of the trapping wires, the planarization of the polyimide, and the grain structure of the Au surface.
A system suitable for studying interactions between ⁸⁷Rb Rydberg atoms and metal surfaces has been constructed. This thesis describes the design and construction of the apparatus, and some test results. Atoms in a vapor cell magneto-optical trap are transferred to a macroscopic Ioffe-Pritchard trap, where they will be RF evaporatively cooled and loaded into a magnetic microtrap (atom chip). Confinement of cold clouds at controllable distances (5–200 μm)} from a metal surface is possible. The effects of atom-surface interactions can be studied with Rydberg atom spectroscopy. \n \nSome functionality of the apparatus has been demonstrated. Approximately 1.5×10⁷ atoms were loaded into a mirror MOT, and about 6×10⁶ atoms were optically pumped to the |F=2, m_F=2> hyperfine ground state and confined in a macroscopic Ioffe-Pritchard trap. The temperature of the cloud in the trap was 42 ± 5 μK, and the 1/e lifetime is 1–1.5 s. Forced RF evaporation has been used to measure the magnetic field at the trap minimum, but RF evaporative cooling has not yet been demonstrated.
Atom chips are robust and extremely powerful toolboxes for quantum optical experiments, since they make it possible to create exceedingly precise magnetic traps for neutral atoms with minimal field modulations. Accurate manipulation of trapped atoms is feasible with magnetic and electric fields created on the atom chip. Therefore atom chips with high quality surfaces and extremely well defined wires were build (roughness < 20nm). Furthermore new generations of atom chips were developed, like the multi-layer atom chip with contact-free wire crossings, the sub-micron structured atom chip and the semiconducting atom chip. Extensive characterisation measurements of atom chip wires demonstrated that the wires stand current densities of up to 10^7A/cm^2 for seconds and voltage differences of more than 500V over 10µm. From the different materials tested doped silicon with a thin silicon dioxide layer is the best qualified substrate for atom chip fabrication. The atom chips fabricated during this thesis have been used in many successful experiments, yielding numerous results. Moreover this thesis established the basics for many further experiments in atom physics and quantum optics and delivers complete instructions for the fabrication of all developed atom chips as well as an introduction to the experiments.
In order to take quantum mechanical systems out of the lab and produce practical devices, a method of miniaturizing and integrating apparatus components is needed. In the context of ultracold atomic gas experiments, the ideal method of achieving this miniaturization is the implementation of atom chip technology. By depositing micro-scale current carrying wires onto planar substrates, it is possible to create a magnetic trap capable of confining a cloud of neutral atoms in sufficient proximity to the chip surface for solid state devices to interact with the cloud. This thesis presents our lab’s first steps towards creating an atom chip capable of confining a cloud of rubidium-87. The chip prototypes were developed with the intent to incorporate them into the hybrid system apparatus within our lab. The chips are intended to serve as a platform for facilitating the interaction between the atomic gas ensemble and mesoscopic solid-state devices, allowing for the hybridization of the two systems. In this work I describe the design of the trapping wire configuration and the fabrication of the first two generations of chip prototypes. Additionally, I provide numerical simulations of the produced magnetic field, from which estimates of the trap frequency and depth can be calculated. Finally, I introduce some basic characterization tests of the absolute current limitations and resistive behavior of the chip wires, and the dimensional uniformity of the fabricated wire profiles.
Neutral atoms can be trapped and manipulated with surface mounted microscopic current carrying and charged structures. We present a lithographic fabrication process for such atom chips based on evaporated metal films. The size limit of this process is below 1 μm. At room temperature, thin wires can carry current densities of more than 107A∕cm2 and voltages of more than 500 V. Extensive test measurements for different substrates and metal thicknesses (up to 5 μm) are compared to models for the heating characteristics of the microscopic wires. Among the materials tested, we find that Si is the best suited substrate for atom chips.
This paper describes the design and fabrication of planarized multilayer atom chips for an ultrahigh-vacuum system in atomic physics experiments. A fabrication process is developed to define micrometer-scale wire patterns on a silicon substrate and wires are plated by copper electroplating. SU-8 is chosen as the isolation layer between the upper and bottom wires, and its thickness, surface flatness and surface roughness (Ra = 5 nm) are controlled by the chemical–mechanical planarization process. A reflectivity of nearly 90% is measured on the chip surface; thus, the former method of attaching a silver mirror is unnecessary (Du et al 2004 Phys. Rev. A 70 053606). A heat dissipation copper block is incorporated in our chip design to increase the sustainable current densities of upper wires of more than 3.8 × 105 A cm−2. Results show the improvement of 55.74%, compared with the nonheat dissipation design (2.44 × 105 A cm−2), and thus meeting the requirements for chip-based atom trapping experiments.