- Letter
Laser-cooling to microkelvin temperature with an integrated-photonics system
Phys. Rev. Applied 23, L031002 – Published 21 March, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.23.L031002
Abstract
We report on generating a magneto-optical trap (MOT) of 88-strontium () atoms at microkelvin temperature, using integrated-photonics devices. With metasurface optics integrated on a fused-silica substrate, we generate six-beam circularly polarized counterpropagating MOTs on the blue broad-line (461-nm) and red narrow-line (689-nm) cooling transitions without bulk optics. By use of a diverging beam configuration, we create up to 10-mm-diameter MOT beams at the trapping location. To frequency stabilize and linewidth narrow the cooling lasers, we use fiber-packaged integrated nonlinear waveguides to spectrally broaden a frequency comb. The ultracoherent supercontinuum of the waveguides covers 650–2500 nm, enabling phase locks of the cooling lasers to hertz-level linewidth. Our work highlights the possibility of simplifying the preparation of an ultracold gas for an optical-lattice clock with photonic devices. By implementing a timing sequence for control of the MOT lasers and the quadrupole magnetic field gradient, we collect atoms directly from a thermal beam into the blue MOT and continuously cool into a red MOT with dynamic detuning and intensity control. There, the red-MOT temperature is as low as and the overall transfer efficiency is up to 16%. We characterize this sequence, including an intermediate red MOT with modulated detuning.