Nanostructured Alkali-Metal Vapor Cells
T.F. Cutler, W.J. Hamlyn, J. Renger, K.A. Whittaker, D. Pizzey, I.G. Hughes, V. Sandoghdar, C.S. Adams
Abstract
The confinement of atoms at the nanoscale is of interest for a diverse range of applications, from spatially selective sensing on the submicrometer scale to emerging quantum technologies. This study describes a bespoke method for manufacturing robust vapor cells with arbitrary nanoscale-confinement geometries. The device is designed with versatile, high-NA optical access. Spectroscopy of Rb atoms in purpose-built cells yields important insight into the diffusion and spatial distribution of a thermal vapor confined to a nanochannel. This work offers routes toward engineering solutions for localized control of atom numbers for scalable quantum optical experiments.