Mode engineered loop gap resonator enclosure for atomic sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12418296-B1
Application number	US-202418604254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2024
Priority date	Mar 13, 2024
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A housing for coupling to a loop gap resonator (LGR) includes an interior cavity in which the LGR is disposed therein. The LGR is attached to the housing by at least one mounting bracket, which fixes the LGR in the interior cavity. Additionally, the interior cavity includes a separation region between the cavity walls and the LGR. The widths of each mounting bracket and the width of the separation region is determined in order to support a uniform electromagnetic field inside the LGR.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a housing coupled to a loop gap resonator (LGR), wherein the LGR includes an inner cavity and is configured to support an electromagnetic field in the inner cavity,
wherein the housing comprises:
an exterior, and
an interior, wherein the interior comprises an interior cavity in which the LGR is disposed therein,
wherein the housing comprises at least one mounting bracket protruding into the interior cavity, wherein the at least one mounting bracket has a first width and is configured to fix the LGR in the interior cavity of the housing,
wherein the LGR is fixed by the at least one mounting bracket so that there exists a separation region between an outer edge of the LGR and an inner edge of the housing, wherein the separation region has a second width,
wherein based on the first width of the at least one mounting bracket, and the second width of the separation region, an electromagnetic field of substantially uniform phase and amplitude is provided in the inner cavity of the LGR.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the separation region comprises free space, a gas, and/or an insulating material.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mounting bracket comprises a plurality of mounting brackets, wherein each of the plurality of mounting brackets has the second width.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of mounting brackets is azimuthally equidistant to a neighboring mounting bracket.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mounting bracket includes a connector that couples to a contact on the LGR.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the interior cavity comprises a cylindrical volume.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device forms part of an atomic clock sensor.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first width and the second width is determined from a finite element model.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the LGR is configured to receive an electromagnetic signal from a signal generator at a first frequency and to establish the electromagnetic field of substantially uniform phase and amplitude in the inner cavity of the LGR from the electromagnetic signal.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mounting bracket is coupled to the LGR via one or more screws, nuts, or bolts.

11. A system, comprising:
a signal generator configured to couple an electromagnetic signal in a loop gap resonator (LGR), wherein the LGR includes an inner cavity and is configured to receive the electromagnetic signal and to generate an electromagnetic field in the inner cavity;
a housing coupled to the LGR, wherein the housing comprises:
an exterior, and
an interior, wherein the interior comprises an interior cavity in which the LGR is disposed therein,
wherein the housing comprises at least one mounting bracket protruding into the interior cavity, wherein the at least one mounting bracket has a first width and is configured to fix the LGR in the interior cavity of the housing,
wherein the LGR is fixed by the at least one mounting bracket so that there exists a separation region between an outer edge of the LGR and an inner edge of the housing, wherein the separation region has a second width,
wherein based on the first width of the at least one mounting bracket, and the second width of the separation region, an electromagnetic field of substantially uniform phase and amplitude is provided in the inner cavity of the LGR.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the separation region comprises free space, a gas, and/or an insulating material.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one mounting bracket comprises a plurality of mounting brackets, wherein each of the plurality of mounting brackets has the second width.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of mounting brackets is azimuthally equidistant to a neighboring mounting bracket.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one mounting bracket includes a connector that couples to a contact on the LGR.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the interior cavity comprises a cylindrical volume.

17. The system of claim 11 , comprising a light detection circuit coupled to one or more processors, wherein the light detection circuit receives an electromagnetic signal indicative of an atomic excitation at a resonance frequency of the LGR, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine a reference clock signal from the electromagnetic signal.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first width and the second width is determined from a finite element model.

19. A method, comprising:
determining dimensions of at least one mounting bracket and a separation region, wherein the dimensions of the at least one mounting bracket include a first width, wherein the dimensions of the separation region include a second width;
fabricating the at least one mounting bracket, wherein the at least one mounting bracket is coupled to a housing and protrudes into an interior cavity of the housing;
coupling a loop gap resonator (LGR) to the at least one mounting bracket, wherein the LGR includes an inner cavity and is configured to generate an electromagnetic field in a region of free space in the inner cavity, wherein the LGR is disposed into the interior cavity of the housing such that the second width of the separation region separates the LGR from the housing;
inputting an electromagnetic signal into the LGR; and
exciting a desired electromagnetic mode at a resonance frequency in the inner cavity of the LGR from the electromagnetic signal.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the separation region comprises free space, a gas, and/or an insulating material.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Fertig Chad
• Horstman Luke
• Rhoads Charles

Classifications

• B82Y20/00

  Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals · CPC title

• G04F5/14

  using atomic clocks · CPC title

• G01R33/343

  of slotted-tube or loop-gap type · CPC title

• G01C19/62

  with optical pumping · CPC title

• H03L7/26 Primary

  using energy levels of molecules, atoms, or subatomic particles as a frequency reference · CPC title