Radioactive decay based stable time or frequency reference signal source
US7476865B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 2006 |
| Grant date | Jan 13, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 11, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01T1/171
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A signal source for use as a frequency source or time keeping signal source includes a radioactive emission source generating a substantially periodic signal corresponding to a radioactive material's disintegration rate. A radioactive emission detector generates a radioactive emission detection signal and, to stabilize the detected periodic signal, a dead time controlling attenuator blanks or shuts off the radioactive emission detection signal for a selected dead time interval in response to each detected radioactive emission (i.e., a detected signal pulse or signal component) generated by the source. The dead time controlling attenuator output provides a long-term and short-term a stable periodic signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.