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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry
07:17

Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry

Published on: August 1, 2017

Microfabricated chip-scale rubidium plasma light source for miniature atomic clocks.

Vinu Venkatraman1, Yves Pétremand, Christoph Affolderbach

  • 1Microsystems for Space Technologies Laboratory (LMTS), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Neuchâtel, Switzerland. vinu.venkat@epfl.ch

IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control
|April 7, 2012
PubMed
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We developed a low-power, chip-scale Rubidium (Rb) plasma light source for miniature atomic clocks. This microfabricated device offers stable optical power for precise atomic timekeeping.

Area of Science:

  • Atomic Physics
  • Microfabrication
  • Optoelectronics

Background:

  • Miniature atomic clocks require compact, low-power light sources for optical pumping.
  • Traditional light sources may not meet the size and power constraints of chip-scale devices.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present the microfabrication and characterization of a novel chip-scale Rubidium (Rb) plasma light source.
  • To evaluate its suitability for optical pumping in miniature atomic clocks.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) configuration within a microfabricated Rb vapor cell.
  • Deposited external indium electrodes and operated the device at frequencies between 1 and 36 MHz.

Main Results:

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Last Updated: May 23, 2026

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  • Achieved a stable optical power output of 140 μW with low electrical power coupling (< 6 mW).
  • Emitted 15 μW on the Rb D2 line and 9 μW on the Rb D1 line.
  • Demonstrated continuous operation for several weeks, confirming stability.

    • Conclusions:

    • The developed Rb plasma light source is a viable, low-power solution for chip-scale atomic clocks.
    • Its stable optical emission supports reliable atomic excitation in double-resonance clock architectures.