Additively manufactured ceramic platforms for miniaturized optical frequency references and robust atomic sensor systems

Abstract

Transferring atomic quantum sensors from laboratory-scale physics packages to compact, alignment-free sensor heads suitable for field and space deployment requires a structural platform that combines mechanical, thermal, and optical functionality within a single, manufacturable component. We present such a platform based on additively manufactured technical ceramics: lithography-based ceramic manufacturing is used to fabricate monolithic micro-optical benches with application-specific mounting geometries, while high-precision active alignment and adhesive bonding realize long-term stable optical assemblies through micro-integration. As a first system-level demonstrator, we present a micro-integrated optical frequency reference based on Doppler-free spectroscopy of the rubidium D2 line, integrated within a 6 mL Al2O3 module. A laser stabilized to the reference reaches a fractional frequency instability of $3\times 10^{-12}$ at 1 s. We extend the platform to a compact optically pumped magnetometer, exploiting the magnetic cleanliness and tailored thermal properties of high-purity ceramics for a 7 mL sensor head with picotesla sensitivity aimed at space-borne biomagnetometry, and to a micro-integrated optical dipole trap with active MEMS-mirror beam steering for cold-atom manipulation. Together, these demonstrators show that ceramic additive manufacturing and optical micro-integration form a versatile, robust platform for compact atomic sensor systems in field and space applications.

arXiv comment10 pages, 4 figures. Presented at the International Conference on Space Optics (ICSO) 2026; to be published in the ICSO 2026 Proceedings, SPIE Digital Library