Atom cell, method of manufacturing atom cell, quantum interference device, atomic oscillator, electronic apparatus, and moving object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016308543-A1
Application number	US-201615097659-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 13, 2016
Priority date	Apr 15, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An atom cell is provided with an internal space including a space formed of a through hole housing gaseous alkali metal, a space formed of a through hole housing a compound as an alkali metal emission material, and a space formed of a through hole housing liquid or solid alkali metal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An atom cell comprising:
alkali metal atoms; an alkali metal emission material having emitted the alkali metal atoms; and an internal space housing the alkali metal atoms and the alkali metal emission material, wherein the internal space includes
a first region housing the alkali metal atoms in a form of a gas,
a second region housing the alkali metal emission material, and
a third region housing the alkali metal atoms in a form of one of a liquid and a solid.

2 . The atom cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the third region is located between the first region and the second region.

3 . The atom cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region is located between the second region and the third region.

4 . The atom cell according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication hole communicating the first region and the second region with each other, wherein a width of the communication hole is smaller than a width of the alkali metal emission material.

5 . The atom cell according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a getter material disposed in the second region.

6 . The atom cell according to claim 1 , wherein
partial pressure of a gas other than the gaseous alkali metal atoms in the internal space is one of equal to and lower than 10 −4 Pa.

7 . A method of manufacturing an atom cell, the method comprising:
preparing a cell container having an internal space including a first region, a second region, and a third region, and housing a solid compound including alkali metal in the second region of the internal space; heating the second region to emit the alkali metal from the compound; and adjusting a temperature of the third region to a level lower than a temperature of the first region.

8 . The method of manufacturing an atom cell according to claim 7 , wherein
the preparing includes sealing the internal space.

9 . The method of manufacturing an atom cell according to claim 7 , further comprising:
removing the second region after the heating for emitting.

10 . The method of manufacturing an atom cell according to claim 9 , wherein
the removing is performed after the adjusting.

11 . The method of manufacturing an atom cell according to claim 9 , wherein
in the preparing, the first region and the second region are communicated with each other via a communication hole, and the removing includes blocking the communication hole.

12 . The method of manufacturing an atom cell according to claim 7 , wherein
in the preparing, a plurality of the cell containers is connected to one another.

13 . A quantum interference device comprising:
cell according to claim 1 .

14 . A quantum interference device comprising:
cell according to claim 2 .

15 . The quantum interference device according to claim 13 , wherein
the first region is higher in temperature than the third region.

16 . An atomic oscillator comprising:
cell according to claim 1 .

17 . An atomic oscillator comprising:
cell according to claim 2 .

18 . An electronic apparatus comprising:
cell according to claim 1 .

19 . An electronic apparatus comprising:
cell according to claim 2 .

20 . A moving object comprising:
cell according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Ishihara Naoki

Classifications

• G04F5/14

  using atomic clocks · CPC title

• H01S1/06

  Gaseous {, i.e. beam masers} · CPC title

• H03L7/26 Primary

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

• G04F5/145

  using Coherent Population Trapping · CPC title

• H03B17/00

  Generation of oscillations using radiation source and detector, e.g. with interposed variable obturator · CPC title