Atomic oscillator and frequency signal generation system
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorTetsuo NISHIDA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An atomic oscillator includes a semiconductor laser housed in a container, an atom cell housing alkali metal atoms and irradiated with a light output from the semiconductor laser, a light receiving element that detects an intensity of the light transmitted through the atom cell and outputs a detection signal, a temperature sensor housed in the container, a first temperature control element housed in the container and controlled based on output of the temperature sensor, and a second temperature control element housed in the container and controlled based on the detection signal. A distance between the second temperature control element and the semiconductor laser is smaller than a distance between the first temperature control element and the semiconductor laser.
Claims20
An atomic oscillator comprising:
- a semiconductor laser housed in a container;
- an atom cell housing alkali metal atoms and configured to be selectively irradiated with light from the semiconductor laser;
- a light receiving element configured to detect an intensity of the light transmitted through the atom cell and to output a detection signal corresponding to the intensity;
- a temperature sensor housed in the container;
- a first temperature control element housed in the container and controlled in correspondence with the output of the temperature sensor;
- and
- a second temperature control element housed in the container and controlled in correspondence with the detection signal,
- wherein a shortest distance between the second temperature control element and the semiconductor laser is smaller than a shortest distance between the first temperature control element and the semiconductor laser.
An atomic oscillator comprising:
- a container having a recessed base enclosed by a lid having a window;
- a temperature sensor housed within the container;
- a Peltier element mounted onto a bottom interior surface of the base within the container, the Peltier element being configured to be controlled in correspondence with an output of the temperature sensor;
- a heater mounted atop the Peltier element within the container;
- a semiconductor laser mounted atop the heater within the container and separated from the Peltier element by the heater, the semiconductor laser being optically aligned along an optical path with the window of the lid;
- an atom cell positioned in radiation receiving relation to the semiconductor laser, the atom cell containing alkali metal atoms;
- and
- a light detector configured to detect an intensity of light transmitted through the atom cell and to output a detection signal corresponding to the intensity,
- wherein the heater is configured to be controlled in correspondence with the detection signal.
An atomic oscillator comprising:
- a container having a recessed base enclosed by a lid, the recessed base having a step, the lid having a window;
- a temperature sensor housed within the container, the temperature sensor being one of a thermistor and a thermocouple;
- a Peltier element mounted directly onto a bottom interior surface of the base within the container, the Peltier element being configured to be controlled in correspondence with an output of the temperature sensor;
- a metal layer disposed directly atop the Peltier element;
- a heater mounted directly atop the metal layer within the container, an entirety of the heater being within a periphery of the Peltier element, the heater being one of a heating resistor and a ceramic heater;
- a VCSEL mounted directly atop the heater within the container and separated from the Peltier element by the heater and the metal layer, the VCSEL being optically aligned along an optical path with the window of the lid;
- a plurality of electrodes located along the step and respectively electrically connected to the Peltier element, the heater, the VCSEL and the temperature sensor;
- an atom cell positioned in radiation receiving relation to the VCSEL, the atom cell containing alkali metal atoms;
- and
- a light detector configured to detect an intensity of light transmitted through the atom cell and to output a detection signal corresponding to the intensity,
- wherein the heater is configured to be controlled in correspondence with the detection signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.