A clock apparatus includes: (a) a gas cell, including a continuous path cavity including a sealed interior for providing a signal waveguide; (b) an apparatus for providing an electromagnetic wave to travel along the continuous path cavity and for circulating around the continuous path cavity back toward and past a point of entry of the electromagnetic wave in the continuous path cavity; (c) a dipolar gas inside the sealed interior of the cavity; and (d) receiving apparatus for detecting an amount of energy in the electromagnetic wave, wherein the amount of energy is responsive to an amount of absorption of the electromagnetic wave as the electromagnetic wave passes through the dipolar gas.

A clock apparatus includes: (a) a gas cell, including a continuous path cavity including a sealed interior for providing a signal waveguide; (b) an apparatus for providing an electromagnetic wave to travel along the continuous path cavity and for circulating around the continuous path cavity back toward and past a point of entry of the electromagnetic wave in the continuous path cavity; (c) a dipolar gas inside the sealed interior of the cavity; and (d) receiving apparatus for detecting an amount of energy in the electromagnetic wave, wherein the amount of energy is responsive to an amount of absorption of the electromagnetic wave as the electromagnetic wave passes through the dipolar gas.

An atomic oscillator includes a light source, a gas cell including an internal space in which an alkali metal atom is sealed, and a photodetector to detect light emitted from the light source and passing through the gas cell. A radiation region of the light source is wider than a sectional area of the internal space at a distal end of the gas cell relative to the light source.

An atomic oscillator includes a light source, a gas cell including an internal space in which an alkali metal atom is sealed, and a photodetector to detect light emitted from the light source and passing through the gas cell. A radiation region of the light source is wider than a sectional area of the internal space at a distal end of the gas cell relative to the light source.

A clock apparatus, with: (i) a gas cell, including a cavity including a sealed interior for providing a signal waveguide; (ii) a first apparatus for providing a first electromagnetic wave to travel in the cavity and along a first direction; (iii) a second apparatus for providing a second electromagnetic wave to travel in the cavity and along a second direction opposite the first direction; (iv) a dipolar gas inside the sealed interior of the cavity; and (v) receiving apparatus for detecting an amount of energy in the second electromagnetic wave after the second electromagnetic wave passes through the dipolar gas.

A clock apparatus, with: (i) a gas cell, including a cavity including a sealed interior for providing a signal waveguide; (ii) a first apparatus for providing a first electromagnetic wave to travel in the cavity and along a first direction; (iii) a second apparatus for providing a second electromagnetic wave to travel in the cavity and along a second direction opposite the first direction; (iv) a dipolar gas inside the sealed interior of the cavity; and (v) receiving apparatus for detecting an amount of energy in the second electromagnetic wave after the second electromagnetic wave passes through the dipolar gas.

An atomic oscillator includes a semiconductor laser, an atomic cell, a light receiving element, a first temperature control element, and a second temperature control element. The semiconductor laser includes a first mirror layer, a second mirror layer, and an active layer disposed between the first mirror layer, the second mirror layer, and a heat transfer member disposed on the second mirror layer. The atomic cell is irradiated with light emitted from the semiconductor laser. In the atomic cell, an alkali metal atom is accommodated. The light receiving element detects intensity of light transmitted through the atomic cell and outputs a detection signal. The first temperature control element controls a temperature of the semiconductor laser. The second temperature control element is controlled based on the detection signal and is connected to the heat transfer member.

An atomic oscillator includes a semiconductor laser, an atomic cell, a light receiving element, a first temperature control element, and a second temperature control element. The semiconductor laser includes a first mirror layer, a second mirror layer, and an active layer disposed between the first mirror layer, the second mirror layer, and a heat transfer member disposed on the second mirror layer. The atomic cell is irradiated with light emitted from the semiconductor laser. In the atomic cell, an alkali metal atom is accommodated. The light receiving element detects intensity of light transmitted through the atomic cell and outputs a detection signal. The first temperature control element controls a temperature of the semiconductor laser. The second temperature control element is controlled based on the detection signal and is connected to the heat transfer member.

A microwave resonant cavity for laser cooling, microwave interrogation, and atomic state detection, comprising a microwave resonant cavity body, two cutoff waveguide end covers, and four waveguides for laser beams and microwave coupling. The cavity feeds not only microwave but also laser beams into the center of the cavity. In a vacuum chamber with target atoms, the target atoms may be trapped and cooled in the center of the cavity. By sequential operation of the resonant microwave and lasers, the microwave resonant cavity of the present invention may manipulate and detect the atomic state population and interrogate the energy level of the cold atoms in situ. The invention may be applied to the fields of atomic frequency standard, interferometer and atomic gyro for developing the miniaturized cold atoms related precision measurement equipment.

A microwave resonant cavity for laser cooling, microwave interrogation, and atomic state detection, comprising a microwave resonant cavity body, two cutoff waveguide end covers, and four waveguides for laser beams and microwave coupling. The cavity feeds not only microwave but also laser beams into the center of the cavity. In a vacuum chamber with target atoms, the target atoms may be trapped and cooled in the center of the cavity. By sequential operation of the resonant microwave and lasers, the microwave resonant cavity of the present invention may manipulate and detect the atomic state population and interrogate the energy level of the cold atoms in situ. The invention may be applied to the fields of atomic frequency standard, interferometer and atomic gyro for developing the miniaturized cold atoms related precision measurement equipment.