Abstract: Optical system comprising two optical fibres which are configured to define between them a Fabry-Perot cavity, and a connecting element bonded to each of the two optical fibres, the connecting element defining a through-passage, at least one of the two optical fibres comprising an end portion arranged in the through-passage and bonded to the connecting element, the two optical fibres extending along an axis and being separated from one another by a distance Le parallel to the axis, one of the optical fibres being bonded to the connecting element at a first bonding zone, and the other optical fibre being bonded to the connecting element at a second bonding zone separated from the first bonding zone by distance parallel to the axis.

Abstract: Provided is a cell for optically-pumped atomic magnetic gradiometry that includes a first confining chamber containing alkali atoms and configured to receive a co-propagating pump and probe light beam, including pump light polarized to spin polarize the alkali atoms, and at least a second confining chamber containing alkali atoms, distanced from the first confining chamber, and which is also configured to receive a co-propagating pump and probe light beam. Also provided are an optically-pumped atomic magnetic gradiometer including the presently disclosed and a system that includes the presently disclosed gradiometer and a microscopy system.

Abstract: Optical system (20) comprising two optical fibres (3, 5) which are configured to define between them a Fabry-Perot cavity, and a connecting element (7) bonded to each of the two optical fibres (3, 5), the connecting element (7) defining a through-passage, at least one of the two optical fibres (3, 5) comprising an end portion (22, 23) arranged in the through-passage and bonded to the connecting element (7), the two optical fibres (3, 5) extending along an axis (A) and being separated from one another by a distance Lc parallel to the axis (A), one of the optical fibres being bonded to the connecting element at a first bonding zone, and the other optical fibre being bonded to the connecting element at a second bonding zone separated from the first bonding zone by distance L1 parallel to the axis (A), wherein the two optical fibres (3, 5) have a first thermal expansion coefficient, and the connecting element (7) has a second thermal expansion coefficient, so that the first thermal expansion coefficient is equal

Abstract: A compact vacuum chamber gives electric and optical access to a microchip, which is part of the chamber. The main use of the microchip is to confine, cool and manipulate cold atoms (atom chip). The main new feature is that the microchip forms one wall of a vacuum cell. This makes the chamber compact and lightweight, provides large optical access combined with small overall size, eliminates in-vacuum cabling, and makes the back surface of the chip accessible from the outside (e.g., for cooling and/or additional field-producing elements).