Sandia Corporation

National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC

Hayden James Evans McGuinness

Grant Biedermann

Peter Schwindt

Akash Rakholia

David R Wheeler

Christopher Todd DeRose

Michael Gehl

Yuan-Yu Jau

Jongmin Lee

Lambert Paul Parazzoli

Raymond A Haltli

Shanalyn A Kemme

Various optical systems for use in a light pulse atomic interferometer (LPAI)-based one-, two-, or three-axis accelerometer or gyroscope are disclosed. As an LPAI accelerometer or gyroscope may employ many different laser beams to implement the LPAI functionality, ways of combining these different laser beams to thereby simplify the optical systems are desired. The cooling laser beam portion of the optical system may be simplified using one or more reflective grating chips. The Raman laser beam optics may be simplified using combiners and separators. For LPAI systems sensing along three axes, various optical switching schemes may be employed, including ones that generate variable data-rates with a primary sensing axis having a higher data-rate than the secondary sensing axes. Further, by combining various laser beams in a time-multiplexed manner, the number of optical fiber tethers to a sensor head may be reduced.

Compact atom interferometry inertial navigation sensors with tailored diffractive optics

The present disclosure relates to an integrated package having an active area, an electrical routing circuit, an optical routing circuit, and a vacuum vessel. Methods of making such a package are also described herein.

Miniaturized vacuum package and methods of making same

An atomic interferometric device useful, e.g., for measuring acceleration or rotation is provided. The device comprises at least one vapor cell containing a Raman-active chemical species, an optical system, and at least one detector. The optical system is conformed to implement a Raman pulse interferometer in which Raman transitions are stimulated in a warm vapor of the Raman-active chemical species. The detector is conformed to detect changes in the populations of different internal states of atoms that have been irradiated by the optical system.

Light-pulse atom interferometric device

A light-pulse atomic interferometry (LPAI) apparatus is provided. The LPAI apparatus comprises a vessel, two sets of magnetic coils configured to magnetically confine an atomic vapor in two respective magneto-optical traps (MOTs) within the vessel when activated, and an optical system configured to irradiate the atomic vapor within the vessel with laser radiation that, when suitably tuned, can launch atoms previously confined in each of the MOTs toward the other MOT. In embodiments, the magnetic coils are configured to produce a magnetic field that is non-zero at the midpoint between the traps. In embodiments, the time-of-flight of the launched atoms from one MOT to the other is 12 ms or less. In embodiments, the MOTs are situated approximately 36 mm apart. In embodiments, the apparatus is configured to activate the magnetic coils according to a particular temporal magnetic field gradient profile.

High data rate atom interferometric device

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Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

Hayden James Evans McGuinness