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Joint Conference of the European Frequency and Time Forum and IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium (EFTF/IFCS)

Microfabrication of 85Rb vapor cell for chip-scale atomic clocks

Juan Su, Ke Deng, Zhong Wang, Dengzhu Guo

Published Apr 1, 2009• 8 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We describe the fabrication of Rubidium (Rb) vapor cells using glass-silicon anodic bonding techniques and chemical reaction between rubidium chloride and barium azide. The pure metallic Rb drops and buffer gases were obtained in the cells with few mm3internal volumes. The optical absorption resonance of85Rb D1 transition with proper broadening and the corresponding coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance, with a signal contrast of 1.5% and linewidth of about 1.7 KHz, have been detected at 90degC.

DOI
10.1109/freq.2009.5168346

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We describe the fabrication of Rubidium (Rb) vapor cells using glass-silicon anodic bonding techniques and chemical reaction between rubidium chloride and barium azide. The pure metallic Rb drops and buffer gases were obtained in the cells with few mm3internal volumes. The optical absorption resonance of85Rb D1 transition with proper broadening and the corresponding coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance, with a signal contrast of 1.5% and linewidth of about 1.7 KHz, have been detected at 90degC.
We describe the microfabrication of 85 Rb vapour cells using a glass-silicon anodic bonding technique and in situ chemical reaction between rubidium chloride and barium azide to produce Rb. Under controlled conditions, the pure metallic Rb drops and buffer gases were obtained in the cells with a few mm 3 internal volumes during the cell sealing process. At an ambient temperature of 90 °C the optical absorption resonance of 85 Rb D1 transition with proper broadening and the corresponding coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance, with a signal contrast of 1.5% and linewidth of about 1.7 kHz, have been detected. The sealing quality and the stability of the cells have also been demonstrated experimentally by using the helium leaking detection and the after-9-month optoelectronics measurement which shows a similar CPT signal as its original status. In addition, the physics package of chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) based on the cell was realized. The measured frequency stability of the physics package can reach to 2.1 × 10 −10 at one second when the cell was heated to 100 °C which proved that the cell has the quality to be used in portable and battery-operated devices.
We report the fabrication of a micro vapor cell which has Rb and Ne inside with internal volumes of several millimeters, which is the key component of chip-scale atomic devices like clocks and magnetometers. The cells were filled with Ne at a controlled pressure as the buffer gas by using glass-silicon anodic bonding techniques and dispenser pills of SAES Getters. And a special two-step bonding method was taken to avoid breakdown caused by the buffer gas and to secure the quality of the bonding. We also built an optical measuring system and measured the coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance of85Rb D1 line with a linewidth below 2.0 kHz and a contrast about 1.1%. Zeeman spectrum for CPT resonance was also detected in these microcells. These results show that these vapor cells are capable to be used in atomic clocks or magnetometers.
This paper describes the fabrication of chip-scale alkali atom vapor cells, for use in highly miniaturized atomic frequency references, using silicon micromachining and anodic bonding technology. The cells consist of silicon cavities with internal volume ranging from a few mm/sup 3/ to less than 1 mm/sup 3/. The cells were filled with cesium and nitrogen buffer gas either by chemical reaction of cesium chloride and barium azide, or by direct injection of elemental cesium within a controlled anaerobic environment. Cesium optical absorption spectra were obtained from the cells, and coherent population trapping resonances with linewidths of about 1 kHz were measured.
We describe the fabrication of chip-sized alkali atom vapor cells using silicon micromachining and anodic bonding technology. Such cells may find use in highly miniaturized atomic frequency references or magnetometers. The cells consist of cavities etched in silicon, with internal volumes as small as 1 mm3. Two techniques for introducing cesium and a buffer gas into the cells are described: one based on chemical reaction between cesium chloride and barium azide, and the other based on direct injection of elemental cesium within a controlled anaerobic environment. Cesium optical absorption and coherent population trapping resonances were measured in the cells.
Herein, a microfabricated millimeter-level vapor alkali cell with a high hermeticity is fabricated through a wet etching and single-chip anodic bonding process. The vapor cell, containing Rb and N2, was investigated in a coherent population trapping (CPT) setup for the application of a chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC). The contrast of CPT resonance is up to 1.1% within the only 1 mm length of light interacting with atom. The effects of some critical external parameters on the CPT resonance, such as laser intensity, cell temperature, and buffer gas pressure, are thoroughly studied and optimized. The improved microfabricated vapor cell also exhibited great potential for other chip-scale atomic devices.