Atom cell, quantum interference device, atomic oscillator, electronic apparatus, and moving object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9595973-B2
Application number	US-201414477187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2014
Priority date	Sep 5, 2013
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

An atomic oscillator includes a pair of window units, a wall extending between the pair of window units and forming a first space in which alkali metal in a gas state is housed with the pair of window units, and a second space communicating with the first space and provided in a position with the wall between the first and second spaces and housing alkali metal in a liquid or solid state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An atom cell comprising:
a gas housing containing metal atoms in a gas state;
a first window unit closing a first end of the gas housing;
a second window unit closing a second end of the gas housing, the first and second ends being on opposite ends of the gas housing;
a wall extending between the first and second window units; and
a reservoir housing metal atoms in a liquid or solid state, the reservoir communicating with the gas housing,
wherein the wall intervenes between the reservoir and the gas housing; and
the reservoir includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first width and the second portion having a second width that is greater than the first width for retaining the metal atoms within the second portion.

2. The atom cell according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir extends along a surface of the wall.

3. The atom cell according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir has a part extending in the same direction as the first and second window units.

4. The atom cell according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir has a constricted section.

5. The atom cell according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir has an expanded section.

6. The atom cell according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir has a part having a width from 0.1 mm to 2 mm.

7. The atom cell according to claim 1 , further comprising an interconnect communicably connecting the gas housing and the reservoir, the interconnect being adjacent to one of the first and second window units.

8. The atom cell according to claim 7 , wherein the reservoir enlarges toward one of the first and second window units.

9. The atom cell according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first interconnect communicably interconnecting the gas housing and a first end of the reservoir proximate the first window unit; and
a second interconnect communicably interconnecting the gas housing and a second end of the reservoir proximate the second window unit.

10. The atom cell according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir extends between the first and second window units.

11. A quantum interference device comprising the atom cell according to claim 1 .

12. An atomic oscillator comprising the atom cell according to claim 1 .

13. An electronic apparatus comprising the atom cell according to claim 1 .

14. A moving object comprising the atom cell according to claim 1 .

15. The atom cell according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir communicates with the gas housing through a plurality of grooves in the wall, a first of the plurality of grooves being adjacent to the first window unit and a second of the plurality of grooves being adjacent to the second window unit, the wall separating the first of the plurality of grooves from the second of the plurality of grooves.

16. An atom cell comprising:
a body having:
a first columnar through hole containing metal atoms in a gas state;
a second columnar through hole containing metal atoms in a liquid or solid state, wherein the second columnar through hole includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first width and the second portion having a second width that is greater than the first width for retaining the metal atoms within the second portion; and
an interconnect communicably connecting the first and second columnar through holes;

a first transparent cover connected to a first surface of the body and closing a first end of the first columnar through hole and a first end of the second columnar through hole; and
a second transparent cover connected to a second surface of the body and closing a second end of the first columnar through hole and a second end of the second columnar through hole, the first and second surfaces being on opposite sides of the body, and the first and second ends being on opposite ends of the first columnar through hole.

17. The atom cell according to claim 16 , wherein the interconnect extends along, and is enclosed by, one of the first and second transparent covers.

18. The atom cell according to claim 16 , wherein the second columnar through hole has a constricted section.

19. The atom cell according to claim 16 , wherein the second columnar through hole has an expanded section.

20. The atom cell according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a second interconnect communicably interconnecting the first and second columnar through holes.

21. The atom cell according to claim 20 , wherein the second interconnect extends along, and is enclosed by, one of the first and second transparent covers.

22. An atom cell comprising:
a body having:
a first columnar through hole containing metal atoms in a gas state;
a second columnar through hole containing metal atoms in a liquid state, wherein the second columnar through hole has a part having a width from 0.1 mm to 2 mm, wherein when the body is oriented on an end of the second columnar through hole, the metal atoms in the liquid state remain attached to a wall in the part by a capillary phenomenon; and
an interconnect communicably connecting the first and second columnar through holes;

a first transparent cover connected to a first surface of the body and closing a first end of the first columnar through hole and a first end of the second columnar through hole; and
a second transparent cover connected to a second surface of the body and closing a second end of the first columnar through hole and a second end of the second columnar through hole, the first and second surfaces being on opposite sides of the body, and the first and second ends being on opposite ends of the first columnar through hole.

23. An atom cell comprising:
a body having:
a first columnar through hole containing metal atoms in a gas state;
a second columnar through hole containing metal atoms in a liquid state, wherein the second columnar through hole has a part having a width from 0.1 mm to 2 mm, wherein the width is smaller than a length of the second columnar through hole; and
an interconnect communicably connecting the first and second columnar through holes;
a first transparent cover connected to a first surface of the body and closing a first end of the first columnar through hole and a first end of the second columnar through hole; and
a second transparent cover connected to a second surface of the body and closing a second end of the first columnar through hole and a second end of the second columnar through hole, the first and second surfaces being on opposite sides of the body, and the first and second ends being on opposite ends of the first columnar through hole,

wherein when the body is oriented on the second transparent cover, the metal atoms in the liquid state remain attached to a wall of the part of the second columnar through hole and the first transparent cover by a capillary phenomenon.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Ishihara Naoki

Classifications

• 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

• H01S1/06

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