ATOM CELL, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ATOM CELL, QUANTUM INTERFERENCE DEVICE, ATOMIC OSCILLATOR, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, AND MOVING OBJECT

• US 20160308543A1
• Filed: 04/13/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: ISHIHARA, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 10,033,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 5/14 using atomic clocks
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 5/145 using Coherent Population Trapping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 1/06 Gaseous , i.e. beam masers
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 17/00 Generation of oscillations using radiation source and detector, e.g. with interposed variable obturator
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/26 using energy levels of molecules, atoms, or subatomic particles as a frequency reference

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.

Claims

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.

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.

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.