Government of the United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of Commerce

University System of Maryland

James Fedchak

Stephen Paul Eckel

Nikolai Nikolaevich Klimov

Thomas Purdy

Julia Kay Scherschligt

Robinjeet Singh

Eric Burton Norrgard

Daniel Schaeder Barker

An optomechanical pressure-measurement system measures pressure in the range of 10Pa-10Pa by measuring various properties of a vibrational mode of an ultra-thin membrane member. With independent measurements of the thickness and density of the membrane, in addition to the measured vibration mode properties, the system can operate as a primary pressure sensor. The membrane member is mounted on a vibration-isolated mount and is excited by a drive force. A laser beam impinges on the excited membrane, and an optical phase detector detects the amplitude of the oscillations, as well as parameters of the laser beam affected by the membrane vibration. In one embodiment, a mechanical damping is computed based on the amplitude or frequency shift (depending on the pressure range), and the pressure based on the ring-down time of the membrane vibration mode.

Optomechanical pressure measurement system and method using the vibrational modes of a membrane

A uniaxial counter-propagating monolaser atom trap cools and traps atoms with a single a laser beam and includes: an atom slower that slows atoms to form slowed atoms; an optical diffractor including: a first diffraction grating that receives primary light and produces first reflected light; a second diffraction grating that receives primary light and produces second reflected light; and a third diffraction grating that receives the primary light and produces third reflected light; and a trapping region that forms trap light from the reflected lights and receives slowed atoms to produce trapped atoms from the slowed atoms that interact with the trap light.

Uniaxial counter-propagating monolaser atom trap

Growing community of inventors

Washington, DC, United States of America

James Fedchak