Enabling atom-clad waveguide operation in a microfabricated alkali vapor-photonic integrated circuit

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shrestha, Rahul, Hoang, Khoi Tuan, Riley, Peter, Zektzer, Roy, Westly, Daron, Lett, Paul, Hummon, Matthew T., Srinivasan, Kartik
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866918259717046272
author Shrestha, Rahul
Hoang, Khoi Tuan
Riley, Peter
Zektzer, Roy
Westly, Daron
Lett, Paul
Hummon, Matthew T.
Srinivasan, Kartik
author_facet Shrestha, Rahul
Hoang, Khoi Tuan
Riley, Peter
Zektzer, Roy
Westly, Daron
Lett, Paul
Hummon, Matthew T.
Srinivasan, Kartik
contents Integrating alkali atomic vapors with nanophotonic devices offers a scalable route to quantum technologies that leverage strong atom-photon interactions. While there have been many approaches to such integration, the general reliance on traditional glass vapor cells, distilled alkali metals, and epoxy sealing limits reproducibility and scalability. Moreover, mitigating adverse Rb-photonics interactions is essential, particularly as devices become more compact and the alkali source lies in close proximity to the photonic elements. Here, we demonstrate the successful operation of compact and fully integrated devices that combine silicon nitride photonic integrated circuits (PICs) with microfabricated borosilicate vapor cells and pill-type rubidium (Rb) dispensers through hermetic seals via anodic bonding. We show how successful operation hinges on optically activating the dispenser in a low-power pulsed mode, releasing controlled amounts of Rb vapor on demand while mitigating photonic degradation. Simultaneously, a counter-propagating desorption laser completely suppresses Rb-induced losses and enables waveguide-based atomic vapor spectroscopy. Using this approach, we demonstrate repeatable control of vapor density by tuning activation pulse length, duty cycle, and device temperature. These results establish a compact, manufacturable, and scalable vapor-PIC device, and set the stage for future demonstrations in cavity quantum electrodynamics, quantum nonlinear optics, and chip-scale atomic sensors.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_19852
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Enabling atom-clad waveguide operation in a microfabricated alkali vapor-photonic integrated circuit
Shrestha, Rahul
Hoang, Khoi Tuan
Riley, Peter
Zektzer, Roy
Westly, Daron
Lett, Paul
Hummon, Matthew T.
Srinivasan, Kartik
Optics
Applied Physics
Atomic Physics
Integrating alkali atomic vapors with nanophotonic devices offers a scalable route to quantum technologies that leverage strong atom-photon interactions. While there have been many approaches to such integration, the general reliance on traditional glass vapor cells, distilled alkali metals, and epoxy sealing limits reproducibility and scalability. Moreover, mitigating adverse Rb-photonics interactions is essential, particularly as devices become more compact and the alkali source lies in close proximity to the photonic elements. Here, we demonstrate the successful operation of compact and fully integrated devices that combine silicon nitride photonic integrated circuits (PICs) with microfabricated borosilicate vapor cells and pill-type rubidium (Rb) dispensers through hermetic seals via anodic bonding. We show how successful operation hinges on optically activating the dispenser in a low-power pulsed mode, releasing controlled amounts of Rb vapor on demand while mitigating photonic degradation. Simultaneously, a counter-propagating desorption laser completely suppresses Rb-induced losses and enables waveguide-based atomic vapor spectroscopy. Using this approach, we demonstrate repeatable control of vapor density by tuning activation pulse length, duty cycle, and device temperature. These results establish a compact, manufacturable, and scalable vapor-PIC device, and set the stage for future demonstrations in cavity quantum electrodynamics, quantum nonlinear optics, and chip-scale atomic sensors.
title Enabling atom-clad waveguide operation in a microfabricated alkali vapor-photonic integrated circuit
topic Optics
Applied Physics
Atomic Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.19852