Ultra-stable optical systems for mobile atomic quantum technologies – publication in Optics Express selected as Editor's Pick
Our recent publication, "Micro-integrated crossed-beam optical dipole trap system with long-term alignment stability for mobile atomic quantum technologies," has been selected as an Editor's Pick in the current issue of Optics Express. This work by Marc Christ et al. showcases a significant advancement in miniaturized and ultra-stable optical systems for compact quantum technologies.
According to the journal's Editorial Office, "Editor's Picks serve to highlight articles with excellent scientific quality and are representative of the work taking place in a specific field." This achievement underscores our commitment to advancing mobile atomic quantum technologies through innovative, reliable, and miniaturized optical systems.
In this paper, we present the μXODT – a micro-integrated crossed-beam optical dipole trap setup designed for trapping and cooling rubidium atoms (Fig. 1). Operating at a wavelength of 1064 nm with up to 2.5 W of optical power, the fiber-coupled system achieves a precise overlap of two focused beams in a free-space crossed geometry with a crossing angle of 45 degrees. The setup achieves exceptional alignment precision , with a position difference of less than 3.4 μm and a power ratio of 0.998 between both beams with remarkable long-term stability.
The μXODT represents a substantial reduction in size – boasting a system volume of just 25 ml, which is over two orders of magnitude smaller than conventional macroscopic setups. It offers outstanding mechanical robustness and thermal stability, operating reliably at temperatures up to 65 °C and after transport between laboratories. The small volume and high temperature stability facilitates straightforward integration into higher-level quantum systems.
Integrated with a ⁸⁷Rb 3D magneto-optical trap (MOT), the system successfully traps atoms from a laser-cooled atomic cloud and with atomic lifetimes well suited for a broad range of QT applications (Fig. 2). It has shown consistent performance and high stability over two years without any degradation.
Future applications include the extension of the concept for ultra-cold atom manipulation and micro-optical benches made of additively manufactured ceramics, enabling increased functionalization of the system.
This work is supported by the German Space Agency (DLR) with funds provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) due to an enactment of the German Bundestag under grant number 50WM1949 (KACTUS-II), 50RK1978 (QCHIP), 50WM2070 (CAPTAIN-QT), and 376 50WM2347 (OPTIMO-III).
Publications
Marc Christ et al., "Micro-integrated crossed-beam optical dipole trap system with long-term alignment stability for mobile atomic quantum technologies," Opt. Express 32, 40806-40819 (2024), https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.534888
Marc Christ et al., “Additively Manufactured Ceramics for Compact Quantum Technologies” Advanced Quantum Technologies, 2400076 (2024), https://doi.org/10.1002/qute.202400076
