# US 12,002,597 B2 · Low temperature low-abundance atomic object dispenser > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,002,597 B2 - Document ID: US12002597B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/444,220 - Filed: 2021-08-02 - Published: 2022-03-03 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-31 - Assignees: Quantinuum LLC - Applicants: Quantinuum LLC - Inventors: Mark Kokish; Nathaniel Burdick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002597B2 ## CPC - G21G 4/04: Radioactive sources other than neutron sources (radioactive dressings A61N5/1029) - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - G06N 10/00: Quantum computing, i.e. information processing based on quantum-mechanical phenomena - G21K 1/00: Arrangements for handling particles or ionising radiation, e.g. focusing or moderating - H05H 3/02: Molecular or atomic-beam generation, e.g. resonant beam generation - C23C 16/06: characterised by the deposition of metallic material - C23C 16/45544: {characterized by the apparatus} - G21G: CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES (applications of radiation in general G21H5/00; handling particles, e.g. neutrons, or electromagnetic radiation not otherwise provided for G21K) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS - G21K: HANDLING OF PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; IRRADIATION DEVICES; GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES - H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract Methods and dispensers for dispensing atomic objects are provided. An example method for dispensing atomic objects includes sealing a reaction component at least partially coated with a composition comprising the atomic objects inside an oven; and, with the oven disposed within a pressure-controlled chamber, heating the composition to an atomizing reaction temperature to cause an atomizing chemical reaction to occur. The reaction component comprises a material that is a participant in the reaction. A result of the reaction is elemental atomic objects deposited on a depositing surface within the oven. The atomizing reaction temperature is greater than a dispensing threshold temperature. The method further comprises allowing the oven to cool below the dispensing threshold temperature; and heating the oven to a dispensing temperature to cause the elemental atomic objects to be dispensed from the oven through a dispensing aperture. The dispensing temperature does not exceed the dispensing threshold temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for dispensing atomic objects, the method comprising: sealing a reaction component at least partially coated with a composition comprising the atomic objects inside an oven with the oven disposed within a pressure-controlled chamber; with the oven disposed within the pressure-controlled chamber, heating the composition comprising the atomic objects to an atomizing reaction temperature to cause an atomizing chemical reaction to occur, wherein (a) the reaction component comprises a material that is a participant in the atomizing chemical reaction, (b) a result of the atomizing chemical reaction is elemental atomic objects deposited on a depositing surface within the oven, and (c) the atomizing reaction temperature is greater than a dispensing threshold temperature; allowing the oven to cool to below the dispensing threshold temperature; and heating the oven to a dispensing temperature to cause the elemental atomic objects to be dispensed from the oven through a dispensing aperture, wherein the dispensing temperature is less than or equal to the dispensing threshold temperature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the atomizing chemical reaction is a reduction reaction and the material is a reducing agent in the atomizing chemical reaction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, before the causing of the atomizing chemical reaction, heating the oven to a decomposition reaction temperature to cause a decomposition chemical reaction to occur, wherein the atomizing chemical reaction is performed using at least a portion of the molecules generated by the decomposition chemical reaction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the dispenser is coupled to a first pressure-controlled chamber during the decomposition chemical reaction and coupled to a second pressure-controlled chamber during the dispensing of the atomic objects. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the atomic objects are barium (Ba) atoms, the material is tantalum (Ta), the atomizing reaction temperature is at least 900° C., and the dispensing threshold temperature is in a range of 300-500° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the depositing surface is controlled by at least one of (a) an active cooling component, (b) a passive cooling component, or (c) a series of heating cooling steps performed during the atomizing chemical reaction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the atomic objects are radioactive. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising trapping dispensed elemental atomic objects using an atomic object confinement apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the atomic object confinement apparatus is a component of a quantum computer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the reaction component comprises a filament and heating the composition comprising the atomic objects is performed by supplying an electric current to the filament. ### Claim 11 A dispenser for dispensing atomic objects, the dispenser comprising: an oven, the oven comprising oven walls defining a tube, a base cap closing off one end of the tube, and an aperture cap at least partially closing off an opposite end of the tube, the oven walls, base cap, and aperture cap defining a crucible chamber of the oven, the oven further comprising a depositing surface located within the crucible chamber; and a heating component configured to heat a composition comprising the atomic objects within the oven, wherein: a temperature of the depositing surface is controlled when the heating component heats the composition comprising the atomic objects to an atomizing reaction temperature to cause an atomizing chemical reaction to occur, wherein (a) a result of the atomizing chemical reaction is elemental atomic objects deposited on the depositing surface, and (b) the atomizing reaction temperature is greater than a dispensing threshold temperature, and the heating component is configured to allow the oven to cool after the atomizing chemical reaction is performed and then heat the oven to a dispensing temperature to cause the elemental atomic objects to be dispensed from the oven through a dispensing aperture in the aperture cap, wherein the dispensing temperature is less than or equal to the dispensing threshold temperature. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the heating component comprises at least one filament, a portion of the filament is at least partially coated with the composition comprising the atomic objects, the portion of the filament is disposed within the oven, and a component of the filament is a participant in the atomizing chemical reaction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the atomizing chemical reaction is a reduction reaction and the component of the filament is a reducing agent in the atomizing chemical reaction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the atomic objects are barium (Ba) atoms, the filament comprises tantalum (Ta), and the atomizing reaction temperature is at least 900° C. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The dispenser of claim 11, further comprising a cooling component configured to cool the depositing surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The dispenser of claim 15, wherein the cooling component comprises an externally cooled thermally conductive tube in thermal contact with an exterior surface of the oven walls. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The dispenser of claim 16, further comprising a flange configured to couple a portion of the dispenser comprising the oven within a pressure-controlled chamber, wherein a portion of the thermally conductive tube disposed opposite the flange from the oven is water cooled. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The dispenser of claim 15, wherein the cooling component is a passive cooling component. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the dispensing threshold temperature is in a range of 300-500° C. ### Claim 20 A method for dispensing atomic objects, the method comprising: sealing a reaction component at least partially coated with a composition comprising the atomic objects inside an oven with the oven disposed within a pressure-controlled chamber; with the oven disposed within the pressure-controlled chamber, heating the composition comprising the atomic objects to an atomizing reaction temperature to cause an atomizing chemical reaction to occur, wherein (a) the reaction component comprises a material that is a participant in the atomizing chemical reaction, (b) a result of the atomizing chemical reaction is elemental atomic objects deposited on a depositing surface within the oven, and (c) the atomizing reaction temperature is greater than a dispensing threshold temperature; and cooling the oven to at least the dispensing threshold temperature.