Compact and robust cold atoms source for low SWaP-C quantum device applications.

Magneto-optical trapping (MOT) is a powerful and extensively used technique to cool atoms to a few 100 μK temperature. Cold atoms are very sensitive to the environment and offer great potential to be utilized in various applications ranging from groundwater sensing, real-time magnetometers, navigation using precision atomic clocks, and broadband RF sensors. However, making a commercial device using these concepts presents a new challenge where size, weight, power consumption (SWap-C), integration of parts, and stability is crucial. MOT requires a frequency-stabilized source and Ultra-high Vacuum(UHV) for producing cold atoms. We have used our compact ECDL lasers and additively manufactured components such as quadrupole and compensation coil mounts. The usage of these parts minimizes eddy currents and provides enough gradient and bias field during the MOT operation without the need for any external cooling. The entire vacuum chamber including the Ion Pump has a small footprint of 34cm×56cm. We have employed a robust frequency stabilization scheme using a single-line Dichroic atomic vapor laser lock(DAVLL) keeping low SWaP-C and optimized performance. We can produce 5 × 10^{6 133}Cs atoms at a temperature of 127 ± 3 μK. Our setup serves as a starting point for many quantum device applications.