The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 17, 2011
Filed:
Jun. 15, 2009
Jennifer S. Strabley, Maple Grove, MN (US);
Daniel W. Youngner, Maple Grove, MN (US);
Lisa M. Lust, Plymouth, MN (US);
Thomas Ohnstein, Roseville, MN (US);
Bernard Fritz, Eagan, MN (US);
Jennifer S. Strabley, Maple Grove, MN (US);
Daniel W. Youngner, Maple Grove, MN (US);
Lisa M. Lust, Plymouth, MN (US);
Thomas Ohnstein, Roseville, MN (US);
Bernard Fritz, Eagan, MN (US);
Honeywell International Inc., Morristown, NJ (US);
Abstract
An atomic clock having a physics package that includes a vacuum chamber cavity that holds atoms of Rb-87 under high vacuum conditions, an optical bench having a single laser light source, a local oscillator, a plurality of magnetic field coils, an antenna, at least one photo-detector and integrated control electronics. The single laser light source has a fold-retro-reflected design to create three retro-reflected optical beams that cross at 90° angles relative to one another in the vacuum chamber cavity. This design allows the single laser light source to make the required six trapping beams needed to trap and cool the atoms of Rb-87. The foregoing design makes possible atomic clocks having reduced size and power consumption and capable of maintaining an ultra-high vacuum without active pumping.