NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.
Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Wafer-scale fabrication of evacuated alkali vapor cells
Published
Author(s)
Yang Li, Matthew Hummon, Susan Schima, John Kitching, DONGGYU SOHN
Abstract
We describe a process for fabricating a wafer-scale array of alkali metal vapor cells with low residual gas pressure. We show that by etching long, thin channels between the cells on the Si wafer surface, the residual gas pressure in the evacuated vapor cell can be reduced to below 0.5 kPa (4 Torr) with a yield above 50 %. The low residual gas pressure in these mass-producible alkali vapor cells can enable a new generation of low-cost chip-scale atomic devices such as vapor cell optical clocks, wavelength references, and Rydberg sensors.
Li, Y.
, Hummon, M.
, Schima, S.
, Kitching, J.
and SOHN, D.
(2024),
Wafer-scale fabrication of evacuated alkali vapor cells, Optics Letters, [online], https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.527351, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=957651
(Accessed October 13, 2025)