Atomic clock system
US10539929B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 2, 2017 |
| Grant date | Jan 21, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 11, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05H3/02
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An atomic clock system includes a magneto-optical trap (MOT) system that traps alkali metal atoms in a cell during a trapping stage of each of sequential coherent population trapping (CPT) cycles. The system also includes an interrogation system that generates an optical difference beam comprising a first optical beam having a first frequency and a second optical beam having a second frequency different from the first frequency. The interrogation system includes a direction controller that periodically alternates a direction of the optical difference beam through the cell during a CPT interrogation stage of each of the sequential clock measurement cycles to drive CPT interrogation of the trapped alkali metal atoms. The system also includes an oscillator system that adjusts a frequency of a local oscillator based on an optical response of the CPT interrogated alkali metal atoms during a state readout stage in each of the sequential clock measurement cycles.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.