A frequency signal generation apparatus includes an atom cell including a first part including gaseous alkali metal atoms and a second part including liquid alkali metal atoms. A first temperature controller controls the first part's temperature. A second temperature controller controls the second part's temperature to be lower than that of the first part. First and second temperature detectors respectively detect the first and second parts' temperatures. The first temperature controller and the second temperature detector are thermally connected. The second temperature controller and the first temperature detector are thermally connected. The phase of a temperature control loop of the first part including the first temperature controller and the first temperature detector and the phase of a temperature control loop of the second part including the second temperature controller and the second temperature detector are different.

A frequency signal generation device includes a substrate, a light source that is disposed on a surface of the substrate, and an atom cell that is disposed on the surface of the substrate. The atom cell contains gaseous alkali metal atoms and includes a first portion through which light emitted from the light source passes, a second portion housing a liquid alkali metal atom, and a third portion which connects the first portion to the second portion. A marker is provided that indicates a direction in which the liquid alkali metal atoms move to the third portion by gravity when the surface is vertically oriented.

An atomic oscillator includes: a light emitting element; a temperature control element that controls a temperature of the light emitting element; an atomic cell which is irradiated with a light from the light emitting element and in which an alkali metal atom is contained; a light detection element that detects a light transmitted through the atomic cell; an oscillator that outputs an oscillation signal; a wave detection circuit that detects a wave of a signal, which is based on an output of the light detection element, using the oscillation signal of the oscillator, and outputs a wave detection signal; and a drive circuit that includes a constant current circuit generating a current of a specified value for driving the light emitting element and superimposes a modulation current, which is based on the oscillation signal of the oscillator, on the current to output a drive current to the light emitting element.

An atomic oscillator includes: a light emitting element; a temperature control element that controls a temperature of the light emitting element; an atomic cell which is irradiated with a light from the light emitting element and in which an alkali metal atom is contained; a light detection element that detects a light transmitted through the atomic cell; an oscillator that outputs an oscillation signal; a wave detection circuit that detects a wave of a signal, which is based on an output of the light detection element, using the oscillation signal of the oscillator, and outputs a wave detection signal; and a drive circuit that includes a constant current circuit generating a current of a specified value for driving the light emitting element and superimposes a modulation current, which is based on the oscillation signal of the oscillator, on the current to output a drive current to the light emitting element.

An atomic oscillator includes an atom cell that includes a first portion and a second portion at a position different from the first portion, and contains alkali metal atoms, a light emitting element that emits light for exciting the alkali metal atoms toward the atom cell, a first temperature measurement element that measures the temperature of the first portion, a first temperature control element that controls a temperature of the first portion based on the measurement result of the first temperature measurement element, a second temperature measurement element that is disposed in a portion having thermal resistance equal to or higher than thermal resistance between the first portion and the second portion, and measures a temperature of the portion, a second temperature control element that controls the temperature of the second portion to be higher than the temperature of the first portion based on the measurement result of the second temperature measurement element or information on temperature control performed by the first temperature control element, and a light receiving element that receives light transmitted through the atom cell.

An atomic oscillator includes an atom cell that includes walls defining an internal space in which alkali metal atoms are contained, a light emitting element that emits light for exciting the alkali metal atoms, and a light detecting element that detects the light transmitted through the atom cell, in which the atom cell includes a first portion in which gaseous alkali metal atoms are contained and through which light from the light emitting element passes along an x-axis, a second portion in which liquid or solid alkali metal atoms are contained, and a third portion that is positioned between the first portion and the second portion and couples the first portion and the second portion, and in the third portion, a distance between two walls facing each other along a y-axis orthogonal to the x-axis decreases from the first portion toward the second portion along the y-axis at a constant decrease rate.

An atomic oscillator includes an atom cell that includes walls defining an internal space in which alkali metal atoms are contained, a light emitting element that emits light for exciting the alkali metal atoms, and a light detecting element that detects the light transmitted through the atom cell, in which the atom cell includes a first portion in which gaseous alkali metal atoms are contained and through which light from the light emitting element passes along an x-axis, a second portion in which liquid or solid alkali metal atoms are contained, and a third portion that is positioned between the first portion and the second portion and couples the first portion and the second portion, and in the third portion, a distance between two walls facing each other along a y-axis orthogonal to the x-axis decreases from the first portion toward the second portion along the y-axis at a constant decrease rate.

The invention relates to a gas cell for an atomic sensor, comprising an optical cavity provided with at least one optical window (9) and fillable with a gas. The cell also comprises a sealing cup comprising a cavity mouth, a channel mouth, and a sealing access, as well as a membrane which hermetically closes the sealing access of the sealing cup. The membrane can be plastically deformed by heating so as to hermetically close the cavity mouth and/or the channel mouth, in such a way as to hermetically separate the optical cavity from the gas inflow channel.

The invention relates to a gas cell for an atomic sensor, comprising an optical cavity provided with at least one optical window (9) and fillable with a gas. The cell also comprises a sealing cup comprising a cavity mouth, a channel mouth, and a sealing access, as well as a membrane which hermetically closes the sealing access of the sealing cup. The membrane can be plastically deformed by heating so as to hermetically close the cavity mouth and/or the channel mouth, in such a way as to hermetically separate the optical cavity from the gas inflow channel.

Some variations provide an atomic vapor-cell system comprising: a vapor-cell region configured with vapor-cell walls for containing an atomic vapor; and a coating disposed on at least some interior surfaces of the walls, wherein the coating comprises magnesium oxide, a rare earth metal oxide, or a combination thereof. The atomic vapor-cell system may be configured to allow at least one optical path through the vapor-cell region. In some embodiments, the coating comprises or consists essentially of magnesium oxide and/or a rare earth metal oxide. When the coating contains a rare earth metal oxide, it may be a lanthanoid oxide, such as lanthanum oxide. The atomic vapor-cell system preferably further comprises a device to adjust vapor pressure of the atomic vapor within the vapor-cell region. Preferably, the device is a solid-state electrochemical device configured to convey the atomic vapor into or out of the vapor-cell region.