Low SWaP UHV chamber for atom interferometry.

Accurate gravity and acceleration measurements have many practical applications: navigation, gravity field mapping, space exploration, terrestrial water storage change detection, and underground tunnels. Atomic interferometers have demonstrated outstanding sensitivity in lab environments. Weight and energy consumption are among the hurdles that must be overcome before using atomic interferometers for out-of-the-lab applications. One of the key components of such a system is an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber. These are currently made of stainless steel with mass-produced modular components bolted together. They are heavy, bulky, and often unreliable for use out of the lab. 3D-printing is ideal for the production of custom parts and complex geometries because it enables advanced features.

We demonstrated a low-weight, 3D-printed aluminum alloy vacuum chamber suitable for cold atom experiments and able to support pressure well below <10^-9 Torr.