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US 8,525,516 B2Granted
Apparatus with ambient magnetic field correction
AssigneeCommissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
InventorsMatthieu Le Prado, Jean-Michel Leger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This atomic clock comprises means for applying two mutually perpendicular oscillating magnetic fields (9, 10), governed by a control device (5) that makes them apply a static or nearly static magnetic field for compensating the ambient magnetic field in order to cancel sub-level energy variations of the matter, which disrupt the frequency of the returned photons and the reference provided by the clock. Traditional magnetic shielding may be omitted. Said device can also operate as a magnetometer.
Claims12
An apparatus comprising:
- a cell filled with a gas;
- an exciter of the gas to make atoms of the gas jump to a higher energy level;
- a detector to collect a light signal passing through the gas;
- means for applying an essentially static magnetic field and two oscillating magnetic fields directed perpendicular to each other;
- and
- means for controlling the means for applying the essentially static magnetic field and the two oscillating magnetic fields in order to regulate in direction and in intensity the essentially static magnetic field, and cause a reduction in an amplitude of spectral lines of the light signal passing through the gas among frequencies (Ω/2π, ω/2π) of the two oscillating magnetic fields, a sum (ω+Ω)/2π) of said frequencies and a difference (ω−Ω)/2π) of said frequencies.
3 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a cell filled with a gas;
- an exciter of the gas that makes atoms of the gas jump to a higher energy level;
- a detector that collects a light signal passing through the gas;
- a magnetic unit that applies an essentially static magnetic field and two oscillating magnetic fields directed perpendicular to each other;
- and
- a controller that controls the magnetic unit in order to regulate in direction and in intensity the essentially static magnetic field, and cause a reduction in an amplitude of spectral lines of the light signal passing through the gas among frequencies (Ω/2π, ω/2π) of the two oscillating magnetic fields, a sum (ω+Ω)/2π) of said frequencies and a difference (ω−Ω)/2π) of said frequencies.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.