Invited Review: Micro-fabricated components for cold atom sensors

TL;DR

This review discusses recent advances in miniaturizing cold atom sensors using micro-fabricated components, highlighting their design, fabrication, and potential for scalable, portable quantum sensing applications.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in chip-scale cold atom sensor components and their impact on device scalability and performance.

Findings

Key components enable laser cooling on chip-scale

Miniaturization improves sensor portability and scalability

Future prospects for next-generation cold atom devices

Abstract

Laser cooled atoms have proven transformative for precision metrology, playing a pivotal role in state-of-the-art clocks and interferometers, and having the potential to provide a step-change in our modern technological capabilities. To successfully explore their full potential, laser cooling platforms must be translated from the laboratory environment and into portable, compact quantum sensors for deployment in practical applications. This transition requires the amalgamation of a wide range of components and expertise if an unambiguously chip-scale cold atom sensor is to be realized. We present recent developments in cold-atom sensor miniaturization, focusing on key components that enable laser cooling on the chip-scale. The design, fabrication and impact of the components on sensor scalability and performance will be discussed with an outlook to the next generation of chip-scale cold atom devices.