Silicon nitride-based photonic integrated circuit to control a cold atom source

H H. Snijders (Thales Research and Technology France 1 , 1 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau,) S S. Hello (Thales AVS France SAS 2 , 40 rue de la Brelandière, 86100 Châtellerault,) B B. Wirtschafter (Thales Research and Technology France 1 , 1 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau,) G G. Feugnet (Thales Research and Technology France 1 , 1 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau,) L L. A. Tran (LioniX International 3 , Hengelosestraat 500, 7521 AN Enschede,) M M. M. Zafar (LioniX International 3 , Hengelosestraat 500, 7521 AN Enschede,) R R. Dekker C C. I. Westbrook (Laboratoire Charles Fabry, Institut d'Optique Graduate School 4 , 2 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91127 Palaiseau,) A A. Brignon (Thales Research and Technology France 1 , 1 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau,) M M. Dupont-Nivet (Thales Research and Technology France 1 , 1 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau,)

Abstract

We have developed a silicon nitride-based photonic integrated circuit (PIC) that is responsible for the cooling, pumping, and imaging of cold rubidium 87 atoms. The photonic integrated circuit consists of two chips placed next to each other and has a total area of 2 × 2 cm2. This greatly minimizes the area needed while still having all the optical control functions to create, control, and measure a magneto-optical trap (MOT). The piezoelectric material lead zirconate titanate (PZT) on the PIC is employed for phase shifting a Mach–Zehnder-type configuration where extinction ratios up to 50 dB and switching speeds of 1 MHz are achieved. This resulted in the realization of two- and three-dimensional rubidium 87 MOT using an active PIC. For the three-dimensional MOT, we measure 7·107 atoms with a temperature of 270 μ K.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 127, Issue 22
Published December 01, 2025
ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Applied Physics Letters

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0003-6951 Physical Sciences

Authors (10)

H

H. Snijders

Thales Research and Technology France 1 , 1 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau,

S

S. Hello

Thales AVS France SAS 2 , 40 rue de la Brelandière, 86100 Châtellerault,

B

B. Wirtschafter

Thales Research and Technology France 1 , 1 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau,

G

G. Feugnet

Thales Research and Technology France 1 , 1 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau,

L

L. A. Tran

LioniX International 3 , Hengelosestraat 500, 7521 AN Enschede,

M

M. M. Zafar

LioniX International 3 , Hengelosestraat 500, 7521 AN Enschede,

R

R. Dekker

C

C. I. Westbrook

Laboratoire Charles Fabry, Institut d'Optique Graduate School 4 , 2 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91127 Palaiseau,

A

A. Brignon

Thales Research and Technology France 1 , 1 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau,

M

M. Dupont-Nivet

Thales Research and Technology France 1 , 1 avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau,