Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Northrop Grumman Guidance and Electronics Company, Inc.

Freedom Photonics LLC

Michael S Larsen

Michael D Bulatowicz

Thad Gilbert Walker

Robert C Griffith

Philip R Clark

A Douglas Meyer

Eric A Imhof

Henry C Abbink

Gordon Barbour Morrison

Bob Benjamin Buckley

Dennis P Bevan

Douglas A Meyer

Dora Chavez

Justin M Brown

Thad G Walker

Robert Buckley

Douglas Meyer

Robert Griffith

One example includes a MOT system. The system includes first optical source configured to provide a plurality of first optical beams parallel to a central axis associated with the MOT system, and a first set of optics configured to focus the first optical beams to the central axis through a trapping region comprising a vapor of atoms. The system also includes a second optical source configured to provide a plurality of second optical beams parallel to the central axis associated with the MOT system, and a second set of optics configured to focus the second optical beams to the central axis through the trapping region. Each of the second optical beams can be coaxial with a respective one of the first optical beams, such that each of the first optical beams is counterpropagating with a respective one of the second optical beams.

Magneto-optical trap system

One example includes an atomic sensor system. The system includes an optical source configured to provide an optical beam and a plurality of sensor cell systems. Each of the sensor cell systems includes sensing media enclosed in a volume therein. The system also includes optics configured to provide the optical beam to each of the sensor cell systems to provide interaction of the optical beam with the vapor in each of the respective sensor cell systems. The optical beam exiting each of the sensor cell systems is a respective detection beam. The system further includes a detection system comprising at least one configured to receive the detection beam from each of the sensor cell systems and to determine a measurable parameter based on an optical characteristic associated with the detection beam from each of the sensor cell systems.

Atomic sensor system

One embodiment includes an electrometer system that includes a sensor cell and a probe laser to generate a probe beam directed through the sensor cell in a first direction and exiting the sensor cell as a detection beam. The system also includes a coupling laser to generate a coupling beam directed through the sensor cell collinearly and anti-parallel with the probe beam. The system also includes a reference signal generator configured to generate a reference signal having a predetermined polarization and a predetermined frequency through the sensor cell. The system further includes a detection system configured to monitor the detection beam to determine a frequency and a vector component of an external signal based on an intensity of the detection beam and based on the predetermined polarization and the predetermined frequency of the reference signal.

Vector-sensitive electrometer

An atom interferometer system includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal atoms. An optical system generates first and second interrogation beams having respective first and second frequencies and a circular polarization. The optical system includes optics that provide the first and second interrogation beams through the sensor cell in a first direction and reflect the first and second interrogation beams back through the sensor cell in a second direction opposite the first direction and in a same circular polarization to drive the alkali metal atoms from a first energy state to a greater energy state during an interrogation stage of sequential measurement cycles. A detection system detects a state distribution of a population of the alkali metal atoms between the first energy state and the second energy state during the interrogation stage based on an optical response.

Atomic interferometer system

One example includes a magnetic-inertial global positioning system mounted on a platform. The system includes an inertial system configured to determine an approximate latitude associated with an approximate global position of the global positioning system. The system also includes a magnetometer system configured to determine an ambient magnetic field at the approximate global position. The system further includes a location processor configured to compare the ambient magnetic field with a predetermined magnetic field profile to determine an approximate longitude along the determined approximate latitude to determine the approximate global position of the platform.

Magnetic-inertial global positioning system

One example includes a magnetometer system that includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal vapor and at least one measurement zone corresponding to a three-dimensional spatial region within the sensor cell. The system also includes a laser system configured to provide an optical pump beam through the sensor cell in a pulsed manner to facilitate precession of the alkali metal vapor in response to an external magnetic field and to provide an optical probe beam through the sensor cell in a pulsed manner based on a precession frequency of the alkali metal vapor. The system also includes a detection system configured to detect the precession of the alkali metal vapor in response to a detection beam corresponding to the optical probe beam exiting the sensor cell and to calculate an amplitude and direction of the external magnetic field based on the detected precession of the alkali metal vapor.

Pulsed-beam atomic magnetometer system

One embodiment of the invention includes a magnetometer system. The system includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal particles and at least one nuclear spin isotope. The system also includes a probe laser to provide a probe beam through the sensor cell to generate a detection beam, and a magnetic field system to generate magnetic fields through the sensor cell. The system also includes a detection system to implement detection of an external magnetic field based on characteristics of the detection beam in response to precession of the at least one nuclear spin isotope based on the magnetic fields. The system further includes a calibration controller configured to calibrate the magnetometer system based on implementing predetermined changes to the magnetic fields and monitoring the detection beam in a feedback manner.

Calibration of a magnetometer system

One example includes a magnetometer system. The system includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal vapor and a laser system configured to provide an optical pump beam through the sensor cell in a pulsed manner to facilitate precession of the alkali metal vapor in response to an external magnetic field and to provide an optical probe beam through the sensor cell in a pulsed manner based on a precession frequency of the alkali metal vapor. The system also includes a detection system configured to detect the precession of the alkali metal vapor in response to a detection beam corresponding to the optical probe beam exiting the sensor cell and to calculate an amplitude and direction of the external magnetic field based on the detected precession of the alkali metal vapor.

An atomic clock system includes a magneto-optical trap (MOT) system that traps alkali metal atoms in a cell during a trapping stage of each of sequential coherent population trapping (CPT) cycles. The system also includes an interrogation system that generates an optical difference beam comprising a first optical beam having a first frequency and a second optical beam having a second frequency different from the first frequency. The interrogation system includes a direction controller that periodically alternates a direction of the optical difference beam through the cell during a CPT interrogation stage of each of the sequential clock measurement cycles to drive CPT interrogation of the trapped alkali metal atoms. The system also includes an oscillator system that adjusts a frequency of a local oscillator based on an optical response of the CPT interrogated alkali metal atoms during a state readout stage in each of the sequential clock measurement cycles.

Atomic clock system

One embodiment of the invention includes a magnetometer system. The system includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal particles and a probe laser configured to provide a probe beam through the sensor cell. The system also includes a detection system configured to implement nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection of a vector magnitude of an external magnetic field in a first of three orthogonal axes based on characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell and to implement electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detection of a vector magnitude of the external magnetic field in a second and a third of the three orthogonal axes based on the characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell. The system further includes a controller configured to calculate a scalar magnitude of the external magnetic field based on the magnitude of the external magnetic field in each of the three orthogonal axes.

Combined electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) magnetometer system

One embodiment includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensor system. The system includes a pump laser configured to generate an optical pump beam at a first wavelength and a probe laser configured to generate an optical probe beam at a second wavelength that is different from the first wavelength. The system also includes beam optics configured to direct the pump laser and the probe laser along orthogonal axes through a sensor cell comprising an alkali metal vapor. The system further includes detection optics that include a photodetector assembly configured to measure at least one characteristic associated with the optical probe beam leaving the sensor cell for measurement of a polarization vector of the alkali metal vapor. The detection optics can include at least one filter configured to filter light having the first wavelength and to pass light having the second wavelength to the photodetector assembly.

Nuclear magnetic resonance probe system

One example includes an inertial navigation system (INS). The INS includes a navigation controller configured to generate inertial data associated with motion of a vehicle based on at least one navigation sensor configured on the vehicle and based on magnetic anomaly data. The INS also includes a magnetic anomaly INS-aiding system comprising a plurality of magnetometers distributed in a respective plurality of locations on the vehicle. The magnetic anomaly INS-aiding system can be configured to generate the magnetic anomaly data based on magnetic field measurements of a fixed magnetic anomaly at each of the plurality of magnetometers.

Magnetic anomaly tracking for an inertial navigation system

One example embodiment includes an atomic sensor system. A probe laser generates a probe beam. A first portion of the probe beam is provided through a sensor cell comprising a first alkali vapor to calculate a measurable parameter of the system based on a first detection beam corresponding to the first portion of the probe beam exiting the sensor cell. A second portion of the probe beam can be provided through a stabilization cell that comprises a second vapor. A detection system can be configured to stabilize the frequency of the probe beam in a manner that is on-resonance with respect to an optical transition wavelength of the second alkali vapor and off-resonance with respect to an optical transition wavelength of the first alkali vapor based on a second detection beam corresponding to the second portion of the probe beam exiting the stabilization cell.

Optical probe beam stabilization in an atomic sensor system

One embodiment includes an atomic sensor system. The system includes a vapor cell that is sealed to enclose an alkali metal that is spin-polarized by an optical beam. The vapor cell includes a mirror at a distal end. The system also includes an optical system including a photodetector system and a laser that generates the optical beam. The optical beam is provided into a proximal end of the vapor cell and is reflected back to the photodetector system via the mirror as a reflected optical beam to generate at least one intensity signal. The optical system further includes a control system that modulates a wavelength of the optical beam between an on-resonance wavelength and an off-resonance wavelength with respect to the alkali metal. The system also includes a processor that calculates a measurable parameter associated with the atomic sensor system based on the at least one intensity signal.

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Woodland Hills, CA, United States of America

Michael S Larsen