Some variations provide a metal vapor-density control system comprising: a first electrode; a multiphase second electrode that is electrically isolated from the first electrode, wherein the second electrode contains an ion-conducting phase capable of transporting mobile ions and an atom-transporting phase capable of storing and transporting neutral forms of the mobile ions; and an ion-conducting layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the ion-conducting layer is capable of transporting the mobile ions. The metal vapor-density control system may be contained within a vapor cell, a cold atom system, an atom chip, an atom gyroscope, an atomic clock, a communication system switch or buffer, a single-photon generator or detector, a gas-phase atom sensor, a nonlinear frequency generator, a precision spectroscopy instrument, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an atom interferometer, a magneto-optical trap, an atomic-cloud imaging apparatus, or an atom dispenser system, for example.