Additive manufacturing of magnetic shielding and ultra-high vacuum flange for cold atom sensors

Abstract

Recent advances in the understanding and control of quantum technologies, such as those based on cold atoms, have resulted in devices with extraordinary metrological performance. To realise this potential outside of a lab environment the size, weight and power consumption need to be reduced. Here we demonstrate the use of laser powder bed fusion, an additive manufacturing technique, as a production technique relevant to the manufacture of quantum sensors. As a demonstration we have constructed two key components using additive manufacturing, namely magnetic shielding and vacuum chambers. The initial prototypes for magnetic shields show shielding factors within a factor of 3 of conventional approaches. The vacuum demonstrator device shows that 3D-printed titanium structures are suitable for use as vacuum chambers, with the test system reaching base pressures of 5 ± 0.5 × 10−10 mbar. These demonstrations show considerable promise for the use of additive manufacturing for cold atom based quantum technologies, in future enabling improved integrated structures, allowing for the reduction in size, weight and assembly complexity.

Performance-optimized components for quantum technologies via additive manufacturing

“…The approach is generalizable to a wide range of experimental components and will transform applications as diverse as miniaturized optical devices, vacuum systems and magnetic field generation. Our work complements previous studies of integrated laser sources [20][21][22] and miniaturized vacuum chambers [23] and expands preliminary studies of the utility of additive manufacturing in the setting of quantum technologies [24,25]. Specifically, we demonstrate a new approach to experimental design in free-space optics, where the overwhelming majority of the adjustable components are eliminated and most of the optical elements are mounted in a monolithic, ad-ditively manufactured mount within pre-aligned push-fit slots.…”

Taking atom interferometric quantum sensors from the laboratory to real-world applications

“…The portability of atomic sensors imposes SWAP constraints and commercial use also involves cost issues. Strategies to overcome these problems and limitations include 3D printing [123][124][125] to minimize the use of mechanical mounts, robust and compact laser systems [126][127][128][129] to decrease the number of lasers needed in atom interferometers and compact magneto-optical traps 103,117,[126][127][128][129][130][131][132][133] operating with just a single input beam to reduce the space required by optical interfaces. However, a genuine hand-held product will only become available once an integration similar to micromechanical devices is achieved.…”

Trinity of Three-Dimensional (3D) Scaffold, Vibration, and 3D Printing on Cell Culture Application: A Systematic Review and Indicating Future Direction

“…This could evidentially benefit aspects, such as design flexibility and structural fabricability in future 3D scaffolds when focusing on potential design requirements of 3D vibratory scaffold. In addition, feasible with a wider range of 3DP materials that are equipped with electrical, optical properties and dynamic or magnetic properties [ 59 , 98 , 99 , 101 , 102 ], material composition concerns for 3D vibratory scaffold might benefit most from 3DP technologies when compared with other fabrication tools. As new biocompatible materials and “bio-inks” being created or synthesized [ 35 , 103 , 104 ], 3D printed scaffolds used in tissue and cell engineering tend to become more effective in cell culture applications, and this helps to cooperate with future scaffolds, which tend to have the same application as cultivating cells.…”