The institute
FEMTO's news

You are here

A novel approach to filling miniature atomic clock cells

This new method, which gains flexibility, paves the way for large-scale production of atomic sensors.

In recent years, the development of miniature atomic instruments with high sensitivity and accuracy such as clocks or magnetometers is experiencing a real boom. Miniature atomic clocks are intended for example for telecommunications or navigation equipment. These instruments are generally based on the interrogation of a set of alkaline atoms in vapour phase within a cell of millimetre dimensions, generated by micro-fabrication techniques and composed of glass and silicon. One of the difficulties lies in filling these cells with various species (alkaline metals and buffer gases) while preserving the purity and stability of their internal atmosphere over time.

In this context, the work published by FEMTO-ST in Nature Microsystems & Nanoengineering and entitled "Wafer-level vapor cells filled with laser-actuated hermetic seals for integrated atomic devices" proposes a new cell filling technique, inspired by those used for the realization of traditional centimetric glass cells produced by glass blowing, but adapted to microfabrication techniques. This technique is based on micro devices structured in glass and silicon similar to valves that can be operated by laser.

See INSIS/CNRS news

Contact : Nicolas Passilly

  • Best paper award on BIOSEC 2024

    Raniya Ketfi, Zeina Al Masry, and Noureddine Zerhouni have been awarded the Best Paper Prize at the 17th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies

    Read more
  • Mayra Yucely Beb Caal awarded "Female Science Talents Intensive Track Champion 2024"

    A PhD student in FEMTO-ST's micro and nanorobotics team, she is one of 20 talented women from 15 countries, each making a significant contribution in their scientific field.

    Read more
  • Two Best Paper awards at Photonics West

    Mathilde Hary and Maxime Romanet win two of the 5 awards for best oral presentations at the world's leading optics-photonics conference

    Read more
  • John Dudley awarded EPS Prize for Research into the Science of Light

    This award – jointly with Goëry Genty from Tampere University – recognizes their pioneering contributions to ultrafast nonlinear fibre optics.

    Read more
  • Michaël Gauthier, new director of FEMTO-ST

    A new team is taking over the management of the institute for a 5-year term starting in January 2024.

    Read more
  • Nadia YOUSFI STEINER awarded the Blondel 2023 medal

    This medal recognizes the decisive contributions of her work on the resilience of fuel cell and hydrogen systems

    Read more
  • Maxence Leveziel wins CNRS robotics thesis award

    His work has led to the development of a miniature robot capable of manipulating micrometric objects at unprecedented speeds.

    Read more
  • Thibaut Sylvestre elected Optica Fellow 2024

    Thibaut is one of the 129 newly elected Optica Fellows, honored for his pioneering contributions to fiber optics and fiber lasers

    Read more
  • New Academic Year for the EIPHI Graduate School

    200 new students join its 16 international master's programs in 2023-2024

    Read more
  • Two best student paper awards for Ishamol Labbaveettil

    Awards for her PhD work on KNbO3 films

    Read more

Pages