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

Scientific Reports

The miniaturized vacuum system for cold atom sensors based on the technology of passive vacuum

Wenfeng He, Mengxin Zheng, Zecheng Zhang, Nan Guo, Yiren Sun, Chenjie Zhai, Bin Wu, Xiaolong Wang, Qiang Lin

Published May 28, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Over the past decade, the cold atom sensors have transitioned gradually from laboratory-based experiments to practical field applications. The miniaturization is of great importance and needs to be achieved for this transition, especially for the vacuum system for cold atom sensors. Typically, the vacuum system is complicated and usually composed of the vacuum chamber, the optical path for the laser beam, and the magnetic field coils. The improvement of size, weight, and power (SWaP) consumption of the vacuum system has become a challenge at present. In this paper, the passive vacuum technology is proposed and overviewed to simplify the vacuum system for cold atom sensors (VSCAS). Firstly, the materials of low helium-permeability are summarized. Secondly, the key components required for the realization of the passive vacuum system (PVS) are discussed in great detail, including the getter pump and atomic source. Then, the integration of the passive vacuum system with the mentioned components is summarized, and the evaluation methods of the performance of those vacuum systems have been analyzed. Moreover, we have carried out the preliminary designs and experiments of PVS, and present some experimental results to verify its feasibility.

DOI
10.1038/s41598-026-51873-5

Related papers

A passively pumped vacuum package sustaining cold atoms for more than 200 days

Bethany J. Little, Gregory W. Hoth, Justin Christensen +5 more

Compact cold-atom sensors depend on vacuum technology. One of the major limitations to miniaturizing these sensors is the active pumps—typically ion pumps—that are required to sustain the low pressure needed for laser cooling. Although passively pumped chambers have been proposed as a solution to this problem, technical challenges have prevented successful operation at the levels needed for cold-atom experiments. The authors present the first demonstration of a vacuum package successfully independent of ion pumps for more than a week; their vacuum package is capable of sustaining a cloud of cold atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) for greater than 200 days using only non-evaporable getters and a rubidium dispenser. Measurements of the MOT lifetime indicate that the package maintains a pressure of better than 2×10−7 Torr. This result will significantly enable the development of compact atomic sensors, including those sensitive to magnetic fields, where the absence of an ion pump will be advantageous.

arXiv:2101.01051•AVS Quantum Science•Jul 15, 2021•39 citations

Centilitre-scale vacuum chamber for compact ultracold quantum technologies

Oliver S. Burrow, Paul F. Osborn, Edward Boughton +5 more

Compact ultra-high vacuum systems are key enabling components for cold atom technologies, facilitating extremely accurate sensing applications. There has been important progress towards a truly portable compact vacuum system, however size, weight and power consumption can be prohibitively large, optical access may be limited, and active pumping is often required. Here, we present a centilitre-scale ceramic vacuum chamber with He-impermeable viewports and an integrated diffractive optic, enabling robust laser cooling with light from a single polarization-maintaining fibre. A cold atom demonstrator based on the vacuum cell delivers $10^7$ laser-cooled $^{87}$Rb atoms per second, using minimal electrical power. With continuous Rb gas emission active pumping yields a $10^{-7}\,$mbar equilibrium pressure, and passive pumping stabilises to $3\times 10^{-6}\,$mbar, with a $17\,$day time constant. A passively-pumped vacuum cell, with no Rb dispensing, has currently kept a similar pressure for a year. The passive-pumping vacuum lifetime is several years, estimated from short-term He throughput, with many foreseeable improvements. This technology enables wide-ranging mobilization of ultracold quantum metrology.

•Jan 19, 2021•1 citation

Stand-alone vacuum cell for compact ultracold quantum technologies

Oliver S. Burrow, Paul F. Osborn, Edward Boughton +5 more

Compact vacuum systems are key enabling components for cold atom technologies, facilitating extremely accurate sensing applications. There has been important progress toward a truly portable compact vacuum system; however, size, weight, and power consumption can be prohibitively large, optical access may be limited, and active pumping is often required. Here, we present a centiliter-scale ceramic vacuum chamber with He-impermeable viewports and an integrated diffractive optic, enabling robust laser cooling with light from a single polarization-maintaining fiber. A cold atom demonstrator based on the vacuum cell delivers 107 laser-cooled 87Rb atoms per second, using minimal electrical power. With continuous Rb gas emission, active pumping yields a 10−7 mbar equilibrium pressure, and passive pumping stabilizes to 3×10−6 mbar with a 17 day time constant. A vacuum cell, with no Rb dispensing and only passive pumping, has currently kept a similar pressure for more than 500 days. The passive-pumping vacuum lifetime is several years, which is estimated from short-term He throughput with many foreseeable improvements. This technology enables wide-ranging mobilization of ultracold quantum metrology.

arXiv:2101.07851•Applied Physics Letters•Sep 20, 2021•45 citations

Vacuum systems for cold atom sensors on microgravity platforms

Marvin G. Warner, Jens Große, Lisa Wörner +2 more

Cooling atoms to Nano-Kelvin requires an ultra-high vacuum system with complex features, such as coated optical accesses, paramagnetic materials, or differential pumping stages. Furthermore, the sensitivity of atom interferometers, one promising application of ultra-cold atoms, scales with the free evolution time (T) of the cold ensembles. In order to increase T, microgravity becomes necessary. Hence, the development of reliable, miniaturized UHV systems with the capability to withstand the rough environment of microgravity platforms is a key task to pave the way for high performance cold atom instruments. In order to minimize such complex vacuum systems various tests have to be performed. For instance the measurement of outgassing rates for critical components inside the chamber and leakage rates of metal sealed windows allow a more detailed dimensioning of the vacuum pumps. In addition to the challenge of miniaturization, most of the microgravity platforms are linked to a rough thermal and mechanical environment. Vacuum pumps and seals are supposed to endure vibrations and loads of rocket launches or drop tower impacts. In the case of the sounding rocket mission MAIUS, the motors induced loads to the payload of up to 13 g. This talk presents the challenges for vacuum systems on microgravity platforms. Test beds for outgassing rate measurement, window sealing technologies and loaded CF flanges are shown and first results for the tests are given

•Jan 1, 2019•0 citations

Advances in chip-scale cold atom photonic technologies

Xiaofei Yang, Haixu Tao, Ning Wei +4 more

Laser-cooled atoms are a key quantum medium for atomic clocks, precision metrology, and atom interferometers, and they hold strong potential to advance quantum technologies for position, navigation, and timing. Realizing this potential requires moving cold-atom systems beyond laboratory environments. Integrated photonic chips provide a path forward by improving reliability and reducing size, weight, and power consumption, enabling portable and compact quantum sensors for real-world applications. This review surveys recent progress in laser-cooled atomic platforms, with a focus on the key components that enable on-chip integration of cold-atom systems. We discuss on-chip laser stabilization and linewidth-narrowing techniques, enhanced photon–atom coupling at the chip scale, miniaturized high-vacuum chambers, and the integration of on-chip magnetic coils for cold-atom sensing. Together, these developments are critical to the deployment of chip-scale cold-atom devices in both fundamental atomic physics and practical sensing applications. We conclude with an outlook on next-generation integrated cold-atom platforms and their potential impact on quantum technologies.

Advanced Photonics Nexus•Apr 28, 2026•0 citations

Characterization of alkali metal dispensers and non-evaporable getter pumps in ultrahigh vacuum systems for cold atomic sensors

David R. Scherer, David B. Fenner, Joel M. Hensley

A glass ultrahigh vacuum chamber with rubidium alkali metal dispensers and nonevaporable getter pumps has been developed and used to create a cold atomic sample in a chamber that operates with only passive vacuum pumps. The ion-mass spectrum of evaporated gases from the alkali metal dispenser has been recorded as a function of dispenser current. The efficacy of the nonevaporable getter pumps in promoting and maintaining vacuum has been characterized by observation of the Rb vapor optical absorption on the D2 transition at 780 nm and vacuum chamber pressure rate of rise tests. The authors have demonstrated a sample of laser-cooled Rb atoms in this chamber when isolated and operating without active vacuum pumps.

arXiv:1203.1202•Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A Vacuum Surfaces and Films•Oct 9, 2012•31 citations
Over the past decade, the cold atom sensors have transitioned gradually from laboratory-based experiments to practical field applications. The miniaturization is of great importance and needs to be achieved for this transition, especially for the vacuum system for cold atom sensors. Typically, the vacuum system is complicated and usually composed of the vacuum chamber, the optical path for the laser beam, and the magnetic field coils. The improvement of size, weight, and power (SWaP) consumption of the vacuum system has become a challenge at present. In this paper, the passive vacuum technology is proposed and overviewed to simplify the vacuum system for cold atom sensors (VSCAS). Firstly, the materials of low helium-permeability are summarized. Secondly, the key components required for the realization of the passive vacuum system (PVS) are discussed in great detail, including the getter pump and atomic source. Then, the integration of the passive vacuum system with the mentioned components is summarized, and the evaluation methods of the performance of those vacuum systems have been analyzed. Moreover, we have carried out the preliminary designs and experiments of PVS, and present some experimental results to verify its feasibility.
Compact cold-atom sensors depend on vacuum technology. One of the major limitations to miniaturizing these sensors is the active pumps—typically ion pumps—that are required to sustain the low pressure needed for laser cooling. Although passively pumped chambers have been proposed as a solution to this problem, technical challenges have prevented successful operation at the levels needed for cold-atom experiments. The authors present the first demonstration of a vacuum package successfully independent of ion pumps for more than a week; their vacuum package is capable of sustaining a cloud of cold atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) for greater than 200 days using only non-evaporable getters and a rubidium dispenser. Measurements of the MOT lifetime indicate that the package maintains a pressure of better than 2×10−7 Torr. This result will significantly enable the development of compact atomic sensors, including those sensitive to magnetic fields, where the absence of an ion pump will be advantageous.
Compact ultra-high vacuum systems are key enabling components for cold atom technologies, facilitating extremely accurate sensing applications. There has been important progress towards a truly portable compact vacuum system, however size, weight and power consumption can be prohibitively large, optical access may be limited, and active pumping is often required. Here, we present a centilitre-scale ceramic vacuum chamber with He-impermeable viewports and an integrated diffractive optic, enabling robust laser cooling with light from a single polarization-maintaining fibre. A cold atom demonstrator based on the vacuum cell delivers 10710^7107 laser-cooled 87^{87}87Rb atoms per second, using minimal electrical power. With continuous Rb gas emission active pumping yields a 10−7 10^{-7}\,10−7mbar equilibrium pressure, and passive pumping stabilises to 3×10−6 3\times 10^{-6}\,3×10−6mbar, with a 17 17\,17day time constant. A passively-pumped vacuum cell, with no Rb dispensing, has currently kept a similar pressure for a year. The passive-pumping vacuum lifetime is several years, estimated from short-term He throughput, with many foreseeable improvements. This technology enables wide-ranging mobilization of ultracold quantum metrology.
Compact vacuum systems are key enabling components for cold atom technologies, facilitating extremely accurate sensing applications. There has been important progress toward a truly portable compact vacuum system; however, size, weight, and power consumption can be prohibitively large, optical access may be limited, and active pumping is often required. Here, we present a centiliter-scale ceramic vacuum chamber with He-impermeable viewports and an integrated diffractive optic, enabling robust laser cooling with light from a single polarization-maintaining fiber. A cold atom demonstrator based on the vacuum cell delivers 107 laser-cooled 87Rb atoms per second, using minimal electrical power. With continuous Rb gas emission, active pumping yields a 10−7 mbar equilibrium pressure, and passive pumping stabilizes to 3×10−6 mbar with a 17 day time constant. A vacuum cell, with no Rb dispensing and only passive pumping, has currently kept a similar pressure for more than 500 days. The passive-pumping vacuum lifetime is several years, which is estimated from short-term He throughput with many foreseeable improvements. This technology enables wide-ranging mobilization of ultracold quantum metrology.
Cooling atoms to Nano-Kelvin requires an ultra-high vacuum system with complex features, such as coated optical accesses, paramagnetic materials, or differential pumping stages. Furthermore, the sensitivity of atom interferometers, one promising application of ultra-cold atoms, scales with the free evolution time (T) of the cold ensembles. In order to increase T, microgravity becomes necessary. Hence, the development of reliable, miniaturized UHV systems with the capability to withstand the rough environment of microgravity platforms is a key task to pave the way for high performance cold atom instruments. In order to minimize such complex vacuum systems various tests have to be performed. For instance the measurement of outgassing rates for critical components inside the chamber and leakage rates of metal sealed windows allow a more detailed dimensioning of the vacuum pumps. In addition to the challenge of miniaturization, most of the microgravity platforms are linked to a rough thermal and mechanical environment. Vacuum pumps and seals are supposed to endure vibrations and loads of rocket launches or drop tower impacts. In the case of the sounding rocket mission MAIUS, the motors induced loads to the payload of up to 13 g. This talk presents the challenges for vacuum systems on microgravity platforms. Test beds for outgassing rate measurement, window sealing technologies and loaded CF flanges are shown and first results for the tests are given
Laser-cooled atoms are a key quantum medium for atomic clocks, precision metrology, and atom interferometers, and they hold strong potential to advance quantum technologies for position, navigation, and timing. Realizing this potential requires moving cold-atom systems beyond laboratory environments. Integrated photonic chips provide a path forward by improving reliability and reducing size, weight, and power consumption, enabling portable and compact quantum sensors for real-world applications. This review surveys recent progress in laser-cooled atomic platforms, with a focus on the key components that enable on-chip integration of cold-atom systems. We discuss on-chip laser stabilization and linewidth-narrowing techniques, enhanced photon–atom coupling at the chip scale, miniaturized high-vacuum chambers, and the integration of on-chip magnetic coils for cold-atom sensing. Together, these developments are critical to the deployment of chip-scale cold-atom devices in both fundamental atomic physics and practical sensing applications. We conclude with an outlook on next-generation integrated cold-atom platforms and their potential impact on quantum technologies.
A glass ultrahigh vacuum chamber with rubidium alkali metal dispensers and nonevaporable getter pumps has been developed and used to create a cold atomic sample in a chamber that operates with only passive vacuum pumps. The ion-mass spectrum of evaporated gases from the alkali metal dispenser has been recorded as a function of dispenser current. The efficacy of the nonevaporable getter pumps in promoting and maintaining vacuum has been characterized by observation of the Rb vapor optical absorption on the D2 transition at 780 nm and vacuum chamber pressure rate of rise tests. The authors have demonstrated a sample of laser-cooled Rb atoms in this chamber when isolated and operating without active vacuum pumps.