Seiko Epson Corporation

Nobuhito Hayashi

Yoshiyuki Maki

Koji Chindo

Hiroyuki Yoshida

Naoki Ishihara

Yasunori Onishi

Takuya Miyakawa

Kohei Yamada

Noriaki Tanaka

Takuya Nakajima

Hideaki Yajima

Satoshi Kubo

A laser interferometer includes: a laser light source configured to emit laser light; a light shielding element having an opening through which the laser light passes; an optical modulator configured to modulate the laser light into reference light having a different frequency; and a light receiving element configured to receive object light generated by reflecting the laser light by an object to be measured and the reference light and output a light receiving signal. 0.10≤φ≤10.0, in which φ[mm] is a diameter of the opening.

Laser interferometer

An atomic oscillator includes an atom cell that includes a first portion and a second portion at a position different from the first portion, and contains alkali metal atoms, a light emitting element that emits light for exciting the alkali metal atoms toward the atom cell, a first temperature measurement element that measures the temperature of the first portion, a first temperature control element that controls a temperature of the first portion based on the measurement result of the first temperature measurement element, a second temperature measurement element that is disposed in a portion having thermal resistance equal to or higher than thermal resistance between the first portion and the second portion, and measures a temperature of the portion, a second temperature control element that controls the temperature of the second portion to be higher than the temperature of the first portion based on the measurement result of the second temperature measurement element or information on temperature control performed by the first temperature control element, and a light receiving element that receives light transmitted through the atom cell.

Atomic oscillator and frequency signal generation system

An atomic oscillator includes: an atom cell in which alkali metal atoms are accommodated; a light-emitting element that emits light beams for exciting the alkali metal atoms toward the atom cell; a shield that includes a first member, a second member, and a high thermal resistance portion and accommodates the atom cell, the first member and the second member being members having a magnetic shielding property, and the high thermal resistance portion being provided between the first member and the second member and having a thermal resistance higher than thermal resistances of the first member and the second member; a temperature control element that controls a temperature of the first member; a heater that is thermally coupled to the second member; and a light-receiving element that receives light beams passing through the atom cell.

An atomic oscillator includes a light emitting element, an atomic cell, and a light receiving element that receives the light passing through the atomic cell. The atomic cell has a first chamber containing alkali metal atoms in a gas state and having a first wall through which the light from the light emitting element passes, a second chamber containing alkali metal atoms in a liquid state and having a second wall, a passage connecting the first chamber and the second chamber to each other, and a part which is disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber and has a thermal conductivity lower than the thermal conductivity of a material forming the first wall and the thermal conductivity of a material forming the second wall.

An atomic oscillator includes: a light source; an atom cell containing a gaseous alkali metal atom, and a nitrogen- and argon-containing buffer gas, and through which light from the light source passes; a photodetector that detects light having passed through the atom cell; and a container containing only a mixed gas containing nitrogen and argon, and housing the atom cell.

An atomic oscillator includes a light source, an atom cell containing a gaseous alkali metal atom, and a nitrogen- and argon-containing buffer gas, and through which light from the light source passes, a photodetector that detects light having passed through the atom cell, and a container containing nitrogen gas and housing the atom cell. The container has a first surface, a second surface, a third surface, a fourth surface, a fifth surface, and a sixth surface. The first surface has a first through hole. At least one of the second surface, the third surface, the fourth surface, the fifth surface, and the sixth surface has a second through hole.

An atomic cell is filled with an alkali metal therein and includes an inner wall which is formed from a material containing a compound having a polar group, a first coating layer which coats the inner wall and is formed from a first molecule having a nonpolar group and a functional group that undergoes an elimination reaction with the polar group, and a second coating layer which coats the first coating layer and is formed from a nonpolar second molecule, wherein the second molecule is polypropylene, polyethylene, or polymethylpentene.

Atomic cell, atomic cell manufacturing method, quantum interference device, atomic oscillator, electronic apparatus, and vehicle

A quantum interference device includes an atomic cell, a light source, a light detector, a package, and a reflective portion. The atomic cell has alkali metal atoms disposed within, and the light source emits light to excite the alkali metal atoms in the atomic cell. The light detector detects light transmitted through the atomic cell. The package defines an internal space and houses at least the light source. The reflective portion is provided between an inner surface of the package and the light source, and has reflectance to an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of 4 &#x3bc;m, where the reflectance is greater than or equal to 50%.

Quantum interference device, atomic oscillator, electronic apparatus, and moving object

A quantum interference device has an atomic cell which has alkali metal atoms disposed within. A light source emits light to excite the alkali metal atoms in the atomic cell. An optical element is disposed between the light source and the atomic cell, and enlarges the radiation angle of light emitted from the light source. A light detector detects light transmitted through the atomic cell.

A quantum interference device includes an atom cell, a light source emits light to the alkali metal atoms, a photodetector that detects the light transmitted through the atom cell, a thermal conductor, which is disposed so as to straddle the light source side and the photodetector side of the atom cell, and the thermal conductor having higher thermal conductively than the atom cell, and a support, which is disposed so as to be separated from the thermal conductor, and supports the atom cell, the light source, the photodetector, and the thermal conductor in a lump, the support having lower thermal conductivity than the thermal conductor.

Quantum interference device, atomic oscillator, electronic apparatus, and vehicle

An atomic oscillator includes a gas cell, a semiconductor laser, and a frequency modulation signal generation section (such as a frequency transform circuit) which generates a frequency modulation signal for causing the semiconductor laser to generate frequency-modulated light including a resonance light pair (first-order sideband light pair) that causes an electromagnetically induced transparency phenomenon in metal atoms. When a modulation index of the frequency modulation signal, by which a first-order differential value of oscillation frequency deviation of the atomic oscillator becomes 0, is regarded as a first modulation index, the modulation index is within a range between a second modulation index, which is smaller than the first modulation index, with which the oscillation frequency deviation is 0 and a third modulation index, which is greater than the first modulation index, with which the oscillation frequency deviation is 0.

Atomic oscillator, electronic apparatus, moving object, and manufacturing method of atomic oscillator

An atomic oscillator includes an atom cell, a first light source device, a second light source device, and a reception section. The atom cell is filled with alkali metal. The first light source device emits a light beam that includes a resonance light beam pair configured to be circularly polarized with each other in the same direction and configured to cause the alkali metal to resonate. The second light source device emits a light beam that includes adjustment light beam configured to be circularly polarized in a reverse direction to the resonance light beam pair. The reception device receives the resonance light beam pair that pass through the atom cell. The adjustment light beam may include the resonance light beam that causes the alkali metal to resonate. In addition, the resonance light beam pair may be a line and the adjustment light beam is a line.

Quantum interference device, atomic oscillator, electronic device, and moving object

An atomic oscillator includes an atom cell having an internal space in which alkali metal is encapsulated, a first light source section for making a resonance light pair, which is circularly polarized in the same direction as each other and resonates the alkali metal, enter the internal space using light from a first light source, a second light source for making adjustment light, which is circularly polarized in a rotational direction opposite to the direction of the resonance light pair and resonates the alkali metal, enter the internal space from the same side as the resonance light pair using light from a second light source, and an aperture member disposed between the internal space, and the first light source and the second light source.

An atomic resonance transition device includes a gas cell having an internal space that seals an alkali metal, a light emitter that emits excitation light containing a resonance light pair that causes the alkali metal to resonate toward the alkali metal, and a magnetic field generator that applies a magnetic field to the alkali metal. The excitation light diverges in a width direction in the internal space as the light travels from a side where the excitation light is incident toward a side where the excitation light exits, and the magnetic field from the magnetic field generator has a portion where the intensity of the magnetic field increases in the internal space with distance from the side where the excitation light is incident toward the side where the excitation light exits.

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Chino, Japan

Nobuhito Hayashi