Reduction of helium permeation in microfabricated cells using aluminosilicate glass substrates and Al$_2$O$_3$ coatings
The stability and accuracy of atomic devices can be degraded by the evolution of their cell inner atmosphere. Hence, the undesired entrance or leakage of background or buffer gas, respectively, that can permeate through the cell walls, should be slowed down. In this work, we investigate helium perme...
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
24.03.2023
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | The stability and accuracy of atomic devices can be degraded by the evolution
of their cell inner atmosphere. Hence, the undesired entrance or leakage of
background or buffer gas, respectively, that can permeate through the cell
walls, should be slowed down. In this work, we investigate helium permeation in
microfabricated alkali vapor cells filled with He and whose windows are made of
borosilicate glass (BSG) or aluminosilicate glass (ASG). The permeation is then
derived from routine measurements of the pressure-shifted hyperfine transition
frequency of an atomic clock. We first confirm that ASG reduces He permeation
rate by more than two orders of magnitude, in comparison with BSG. In addition,
we demonstrate that Al$_2$O$_3$ thin-film coatings, known to avoid alkali
consumption in vapor cells, can also significantly reduce He permeation. The
permeation through BSG is thereby reduced by a factor 110 whereas the one
through ASG is decreased by a factor up to 5.8 compared to uncoated substrates.
These results may contribute to the development of miniaturized atomic clocks
and sensors with improved long-term stability or sensitivity. |
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DOI: | 10.48550/arxiv.2303.13927 |