Atomic frequency oscillator
US5656974A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 1996 |
| Grant date | Aug 12, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03L7/26
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The atomic frequency oscillator comprises a resonance cell (41) placed in a microwave resonator (53) surrounded by an electromagnetic shield (58). A laser module (10) emits a light beam which reaches the resonance cell and is used for optically pumping rubidium into the resonance cell. The light beam is conducted from the laser module to the resonance cell by an optical fiber (14) passing through the electromagnetic shield. The optical path traveled by the light beam does not include any beamsplitter. At least one controller uses the light beam conducted by the optical fiber for controlling the injection current and/or the temperature of the laser diode so as to stabilize the light emission frequency. The resonance cell serves both as resonance cell for controlling an oscillator (54) generating via a frequency multiplier (55) the signal for exciting the microwave resonator and as cell for controlling the laser diode (11).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.