Collimated Atomic Beam Source

A collimated atomic beam source comprising:

• a vacuum chamber;
• and
• a collimated beam atomic oven disposed in the vacuum chamber, the collimated beam atomic oven including:
• a tube having a first portion and a second portion, the tube being disposed entirely in the vacuum chamber;
• a source of atoms disposed in the first portion of the tube and having an operating temperature;
• a nozzle including an aperture disposed in the second portion of the tube and configured to emit a collimated beam of atoms;
• a meltably openable seal disposed in the tube intermediate the source of atoms and the aperture and having a melting point greater than the operating temperature;
• and
• a heater assembly disposed in the second portion of the tube, the heater assembly including:
• a first heater configured to heat the source of atoms to at least the operating temperature and further configured to heat the meltably openable seal to at least the melting point;
• and
• a second heater configured to heat the aperture.

A collimated atomic beam source comprising:

• a vacuum chamber;
• a collimated beam atomic oven disposed in the vacuum, the collimated beam atomic oven including:
• a tube having a first portion and a second portion, the tube being disposed entirely in the vacuum chamber;
• a metal disposed in an openable ampoule that is disposed in the first portion of the tube chamber and having an operating temperature;
• a nozzle including an aperture disposed in the second portion of the tube and configured to emit a collimated beam of atoms;
• a meltably openable seal disposed in the tube intermediate the metal and the aperture and having a melting point greater than the operating temperature;
• and
• a heater assembly disposed in the second portion of the tube, the heater assembly including:
• a first heater configured to heat the atomic oven to at least the operating temperature and further configured to heat the meltably openable seal to at least the melting point;
• and
• a second heater configured to heat the aperture:
• a mounting flange configured to sealably mount the atomic oven in the vacuum chamber;
• and
• a thermally insulating standoff disposed between the mounting flange and the tube, the thermally insulating standoff being configured to thermally insulate the tube from the mounting flange and the vacuum chamber.

A method comprising:

• disposing an openable seal in a tube intermediate a first portion of the tube and a second portion of the tube;
• loading a source of atoms into the first portion of the tube;
• creating a low pressure in the first portion of the tube;
• and
• sealing the first portion of the tube at a first end of the tube.

A method comprising:

• drawing a vacuum in a vacuum chamber;
• activating a source of atoms disposed in a sealed first portion of a tube that is disposed entirely in the vacuum chamber;
• compromising an openable seal disposed in the tube intermediate the source of atoms and a second portion of the tube;
• maintaining the tube at an operating temperature sufficient establish a vapor pressure sufficient to emit atoms;
• and
• collimating the emitted atoms into a collimated beam of atoms.