PRODUCTION METHOD OF GAS CELL, AND GAS CELL

• US 20120206135A1
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: NAGASAKA, Kimio, KIKUHARA, Kazumichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,151,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/244.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/243 specially adapted for magnetocardiographic [MCG] signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/245 specially adapted for magnetoencephalographic [MEG] signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/032 using magneto-optic devices, e.g. Faraday or Cotton-Mouton effect
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/26 using optical pumping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49982 Coating

Abstract

A production method of a gas cell includes: forming a coating layer on a surface of a plate material; assembling a plurality of the plate materials having the coating layer formed thereon so as to form a cell surrounded by the surface having the coating layer formed thereon; and filling the formed cell with an alkali metal gas.

Claims

1. A production method of a gas cell comprising:

forming a coating layer on a surface of a plate material;

assembling a plurality of the plate materials having the coating layer formed thereon so as to form a cell surrounded by the surface having the coating layer formed thereon; and

filling the formed cell with alkali metal atoms.

2. The production method according to claim 1,

wherein the plate material has a first surface and a second surface at the rear of the first surface,

in the forming of the coating layer, the coating layer is formed on the first and second surfaces of the plate material, and

in the assembling of the plurality of the plate materials, a plurality of the cells including a first cell surrounded by a plurality of surfaces including the first surface and a second cell surrounded by a plurality of surfaces including the second surface are formed.

3. The production method according to claim 2,

wherein the plurality of the cells have a third cell in which an alkali metal solid is placed,

through-holes are provided in the plate materials between the first and second cells, and the third cell, and

the filling of the formed cell with alkali metal atoms includes vaporizing the alkali metal solid in the third cell so as to generate an alkali metal gas, and diffusing the generated alkali metal gas into the first and second cells from the third cell via the through-holes.

4. The production method according to claim 2,

wherein the alkali metal atoms are enclosed in an ampoule placed at the third cell, and

the filling of the formed cell with alkali metal atoms includes opening a hole in the ampoule.

5. The production method according to claim 2,

wherein the plurality of the cells have a fourth cell and a fifth cell,

a cell group including the first, second, fourth, and fifth cells is two-dimensionally disposed on a plane, and

the third cell is positioned on the plane.

6. The production method according to claim 2,

wherein the plurality of the cells have a fourth cell and a fifth cell,

a cell group including the first, second, fourth, and fifth cells is two-dimensionally disposed on a plane, and

the third cell is stacked in a direction perpendicular to the plane with respect to the cell group.

7. The production method according to claim 1, further comprising cutting the plate material having the coating layer formed thereon into a plurality of plate materials,

wherein, in the assembling of the plurality of the plate materials, the plurality of plate materials obtained in the cutting of the plate material are assembled.

8. A gas cell comprising:

an outer wall that forms a closed space;

an inner wall that divides the closed space into a plurality of cells;

a through-hole that is formed in the inner wall and connects at least one cell from among adjacent cells; and

alkali metal atoms sealed in the cells.