During the first Reporting Period, the activity has progressed steadily along the lines of the proposed work program, all Deliverables were met, preparatory work towards the main objectives was carried out, resulting in three publications; no exploitable result has been achieved.
The main technological instruments at the heart of CRYST^3, namely the hollow core photonic crystal fibers (HCPCF), have been investigated numerically, developed, adapted and also manufactured for the first part of the project. A first batch of HCPCF was identified for all relevant Partners, and subsequently delivered. Additional work went into the experimental characterization of these fibers, especially as far as their transmission losses and modal content were concerned, and into joining (“splicing”) these fibers to other solid fibers, which is required for the purpose of hermetically sealing the HCPCF. In addition, the work to achieve integrated mirrors, in the form of inscribed Bragg gratings, was initiated. All these steps are needed to achieve the photonic micro cell filled with rubidium atoms, which is the first of the four main Objectives. In connection, numerical simulations have been carried out with 2-dimensional models of the electromagnetic field, since the complex photonic structures, formed by nontrivial arrangements of air and glass regions, prevent analytical solutions.
Progress has been made also on the atomic side. Two experimental setups have been started from scratch and a third has been upgraded: one new setup is already operational, with a working beam of laser cooled Rb atoms and the tip of a HCPCF under vacuum and the other end hermetically sealed. The second new setup is still under assembly, while the upgraded one is also operational, and it has already demonstrated improved fluxes of laser cooled atoms.
In parallel, theoretical analysis has studied the atom-light interaction in confined geometries that modify the modes of the electromagnetic field. This activity has shown than earlier work carried out for atoms scattering light into the stationary states of dissipative driven waveguide modes cannot be applied for the fibers used in CRYST^3, and new more suitable approach has been started. At the same time, the problem of atomic self-ordering has been attacked in the electromagnetic environment of a ring cavity, that is simpler than the HCPCF since the modes are discrete instead of forming continuous bands. Similarly, the emergence of dynamical gauge potentials in HCPCF has been initiated on the simplified setup of a two-mode linear cavity.
Together with the scientific and technical activity, CRYST^3 has undertaken the proposed communication and dissemination activities. A Dissemination and Exploitation plan was drafted to surveys the reference markets for the sensors foreseen as outcome exploitable results A Data Management Plan defined the format and location of datasets, i.e. how data generated by CRYST^3 should be organized and shared in suitable open repositories.
Effective communication tools have also been produced: the website (www.cryst3.eu) a LinkedIn profile (www.linkedin.com/company/cryst-3/); a graphical identity with a logo and template files for documents and presentations; a short video, popularizing the scope and goals of CRYST^3.
