Alkali metal-wax micropackets for alkali metal handling
US7666485B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 6, 2006 |
| Grant date | Feb 23, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 8, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/162
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of making alkali-metal vapor cells by first forming microscale-wax micropackets with alkali metals inside allows fabrication of vapor cells at low cost and in a batch fabricated manner. Alkali metals are enclosed in a chemically inert wax to preform alkali metal-wax micropackets, keeping the alkali metals from reacting with the ambient surroundings during the vapor cell fabrication. This enables the deposition of precise amounts of pure alkali metal inside the vapor cells. Laser ablation of the alkali metal-wax micropackets provides a simple and effective way of releasing the enclosed metal. The method reduces the cost of making chip-scale atomic clocks and allows shipping of alkali vapor packets without contamination issues, thereby creating a technology for alkali-metal vendors to provide small packets of alkali metals.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.