Abstract
<jats:p>Introducing alkali atoms to vapor cells and atomic devices can be challenging for reasons including, but not limited to, the reactivity of alkali atoms and the potential for contamination of the hermetically sealed interior of the vapor cell. Intercalated pyrolyzed and graphitic carbon dispensers present a favorable option for stably storing and transporting alkalis into atomic devices. In this work, we report the efficacy of two different carbon sources as low cost alkali intercalation targets for use in atomic devices. We report multiple intercalation and cell fabrication techniques, and demonstrate and characterize macroscopic and chip-scale atomic vapor cells with alkali-intercalated carbon sources. These alkali sources have potential for a wide range of use cases in atomic systems, including integration into chip-scale atomic devices using standard processing techniques.</jats:p>