# US 2012/0235754 A1 · Gas cell unit, atomic oscillator and electronic apparatus

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- Number: US 2012/0235754 A1
- Document ID: US20120235754A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/418,642
- Filed: 2012-03-13
- Published: 2012-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-14
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Koji CHINDO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120235754A1

## CPC

- H03L 7/26: using energy levels of molecules, atoms, or subatomic particles as a frequency reference
- G04F 5/145: {using Coherent Population Trapping}
- H03L: AUTOMATIC CONTROL, STARTING, SYNCHRONISATION OR STABILISATION OF GENERATORS OF ELECTRONIC OSCILLATIONS OR PULSES (generation of oscillations H03B)
- G04F: TIME-INTERVAL MEASURING (measuring pulse characteristics G01R, e.g. G01R29/02; in radar or like systems G01S)

## Abstract

A gas cell unit has a gas cell, inside which a gaseous alkali metal atom is sealed, a heater that heats the gas cell. The heater includes a heating resistor including a plurality of band-like portions so as to be parallel to each other. By making the directions of electric current flowing through two band-like portions adjacent to each other opposite to each other, it is possible to mutually offset or alleviate the magnetic fields generated along with the electric conduction to the plurality of band-like portions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gas cell unit comprising:
a gas cell; and
a first heater which heats the gas cell,
wherein the first heater includes a first band-like portion and a second band-like portion provided parallel to each other and a configuration in which the first band-like portion and the second band-like portion are connected to each other, and
a direction of electric current flowing through the first band-like portion is opposite to a direction of electric current flowing through the second band-like portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gas cell unit according to claim 1, further comprising:
a second heater having the same configuration as that of the first heater,
wherein the gas cell unit has a configuration in which the gas cell is interposed between the first heater and the second heater.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The gas cell unit according to claim 1,
wherein the first heater or the second heater has a plurality of the first band-like portions and the second band-like portions, and the first band-like portions and the second band-like portions are alternately arranged.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The gas cell unit according to claim 3,
wherein a shape of the configuration, in which the first band-like portion and the second band-like portion are connected to each other, forms a serpentine shape.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The gas cell unit according to claim 1,
wherein the first band-like portion and the second band-like portion are film-like heating resistors.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The gas cell unit according to claim 5,
wherein the first band-like portion and the second band-like portion are bonded onto an insulating substrate provided separately from the gas cell.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The gas cell unit according to claim 5,
wherein the first band-like portion and the second band-like portion are bonded to an outer surface of the gas cell.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

An atomic oscillator comprising:
the gas cell unit according to claim 1;
a light emitting portion which emits an excitation light exciting an alkali metal atom in the gas cell; and
a light detecting portion which detects an intensity of the excitation light transmitted through the gas cell.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

An electronic apparatus which includes the atomic oscillator or according to claim 8.