FreezeRay (Compact laser cooled cold atom source)

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Following the Nobel Prize winning discovery that lasers can cool atoms to extremely low temperatures there has beenextensive research into potential applications. Laboratory experiments with cold atoms have realised a step change ofapproximately 1000 times improvement in both inertial navigation and in timing over conventional atomic clocks. TheseQuantum Technologies (QT) are emerging to form a new market that will revolutionise many aspects of our daily lives. Coldatom based QT devices are now forming the next generation of sensing equipment, including atomic clocks (satellite-freenavigation, finance and power synchronisation), gravimeters (military, underground and sub-surface detection) and securecommunications (banking and information exchange).Each QT device will require a source of cold atoms. With a conventional approach the sub-systems required for producingcold atom clouds typically occupy a large fraction of a laboratory. The creation and subsequent integration of these subsystemsalso represents a significant time commitment, with experiments often requiring several months to a year beforeachieving a sufficiently optimised cloud.The excessive size and complexity of conventional systems will certainly hinder QT devices from exploring their completemarket potential. Achieving this will require a drastic improvement in the mobility of such systems, requiring them tobecome smaller and more robust. This will facilitate QT devices becoming portable, allowing them to leave the laboratorysetting and to become technology rather than research apparatus. Furthermore, for QT devices to impact upon a diverserange of markets it is necessary to commercialise and support the creation of a supply chain, driving down costs andincreasing reliability.The aim of this project is to enable this through development of an "all-in-one" unit, the FreezeRay, which will be able tofunction as the core engine for a variety of cold atom experiments. This will be achieved through advancement of a novelall-fibre based laser system and the development of a small form factor vacuum system with limited pumping dependence.The resulting integrated package will then form the centre point for numerous follow on QT devices or experiments.To develop the FreezeRay engine we have formed a consortium of two industrial and one academic partners. TheUniversity of Birmingham, Cold atoms group possesses a strong background in miniaturisation of cold atom systems,through novel developments in vacuum and laser systems. UoB will apply their knowledge to the system design phase,ensuring the design specifications will provide a cold atom source suitable for integration into QT devices. Gooch &Housego will apply their world leading expertise in photonics to develop a fully fibre based laser system alongside thecontrol and stabilisation electronics. The laser system will employ frequency doubling of a telecom laser source. This allowsmuch of the system to be based upon telecom technology, reducing cost and improving reliability. e2v will use their strongbackground in the development of small, self-contained vacuum cells to create a novel and compact vacuum system whichthey will then integrate with the laser system. Following completion of the unit, UoB will characterise and evaluate thesystem.