Microfabricated alkali-vapor cells with tunable - buffer-gas mixture using reservoirs with laser-actuated break seals
Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 024017 – Published 5 February, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/wyz6-rntk
Abstract
We report on the generation of a tunable buffer-gas mixture within microfabricated alkali-vapor cells. We show that the combination of low-permeation windows with sequential openings of laser-actuated break seals enables adjustment of a - noble gas mixture, fully compatible with alkali-metal dispensers. The gas reservoirs and the main cell cavities are initially sealed at the wafer level under distinct helium and neon atmospheres, respectively. Within each cell, after vapor is released from the dispenser, the break seals are successively actuated to incrementally increase the helium fraction in the buffer-gas mixture. This process shifts the atomic clock frequency inversion temperature toward higher values. As an illustration, one of the fabricated cells was operated at in a coherent population trapping clock, achieving a fractional frequency stability of at an integration time of 1 day. These results demonstrate the feasibility of precisely tuning buffer-gas compositions in microfabricated vapor cells and support the suitability of - mixtures for miniature atomic clock applications.