A physics cell includes a sealed glass vial that contains a high-purity dipolar gas (e.g., OCS) at a low pressure (e.g., between about 0.01 millibar and 0.2 millibar). The vial can be sealed using a laser cutting process that involves only local heating of the vial that does not denature the bulk of the contained gas. One or more electromagnetically translucent windows or vial-end access points provide access to electromagnetic waves launched or received by one or more electromagnetic antennas at a frequency that is adjusted to match the quantum transition frequency of the gas based on a detected maximum absorption frequency. The glass-vial physics cell can be fabricated at lower cost than physics cells fabricated from bonded wafers. Multiple vials can be joined by a waveguide in an enclosure so that launch and receive antennas can be provided at a single end of the vials.

Various disclosed embodiments include collimated beam atomic ovens, collimated atomic beam sources, methods of loading a source of atoms into an atomic oven, and methods of forming a collimated atomic beam. In some embodiments, an illustrative collimated beam atomic oven includes: a tube having a first portion and a second portion; a source of atoms disposed in the first portion of the tube; an aperture disposed in the second portion of the tube; a heater assembly disposable in thermal communication with the tube; and an openable seal disposed in the tube intermediate the source of atoms and the aperture.

Ovens for atomic clocks may include a body including a cavity within the body. A plurality of heating elements may be distributed around the body, each heating element of the plurality including coils of electrically resistive material. An arrangement of the plurality of heating elements may be such that far fields of magnetic fields having opposite polarities induced by respective coils of the heating elements overlap.

Ovens for atomic clocks may include a body including a cavity within the body. A plurality of heating elements may be distributed around the body, each heating element of the plurality including coils of electrically resistive material. An arrangement of the plurality of heating elements may be such that far fields of magnetic fields having opposite polarities induced by respective coils of the heating elements overlap.

One example includes an atomic optical reference system. The system includes an optical system comprising a laser configured to generate an optical beam. The system also includes a vapor cell comprising alkali metal atoms that are stimulated in response to a modulated beam corresponding to an amplitude-modulated version of the optical beam. The system also includes a detection system configured to monitor at least one detection signal corresponding to light emitted from or absorbed by the vapor cell and to generate at least one feedback signal in response to the at least one detection signal. The system further includes a beam modulator configured to amplitude-modulate the optical beam to generate the modulated beam and to frequency shift the optical beam to generate an output beam having a stable frequency in response to the at least one feedback signal.

One example includes an atomic optical reference system. The system includes an optical system comprising a laser configured to generate an optical beam. The system also includes a vapor cell comprising alkali metal atoms that are stimulated in response to a modulated beam corresponding to an amplitude-modulated version of the optical beam. The system also includes a detection system configured to monitor at least one detection signal corresponding to light emitted from or absorbed by the vapor cell and to generate at least one feedback signal in response to the at least one detection signal. The system further includes a beam modulator configured to amplitude-modulate the optical beam to generate the modulated beam and to frequency shift the optical beam to generate an output beam having a stable frequency in response to the at least one feedback signal.

In some examples, an apparatus comprises a substrate, an interposer mechanically coupled to the substrate, a gas cell on at least part of the interposer, and a plate on the gas cell and mechanically coupled to the interposer. Some examples of the apparatus are configured to be millimeter wave devices.

In some examples, an apparatus comprises a substrate, an interposer mechanically coupled to the substrate, a gas cell on at least part of the interposer, and a plate on the gas cell and mechanically coupled to the interposer. Some examples of the apparatus are configured to be millimeter wave devices.

[Problem] To provide an atomic frequency obtaining device which enables an improvement in mass-productivity and a reduction in size, and an atomic clock which uses the atomic frequency obtaining device.

[Solution] A laser light source 20, a vapor cell unit 30 that includes a vapor cell 31 in which atomic gas was enclosed, and a light detector 40 are provided on a circuit board 10. Light emitted from the laser light source 20 is reflected by a first reflective member 51 so that the direction in which the light travels is changed and the light passes through the vapor cell. The light passes through the vapor cell 31, and is reflected by a second reflective member 52 so that the direction in which the light travels is changed and the light travels toward the light detector 40.

This atomic resonator for causing a resonance frequency by CPT resonance includes: a gas cell having alkali metal atoms enclosed; a photodetector configured to detect light having passed through the gas cell and convert the light to an electric signal; a high-frequency oscillator configured to receive the electric signal and output the signal after a frequency thereof is divided by two; and a laser light source configured to modulate and introduce, into the gas cell, light based on the signal output from the high-frequency oscillator. The high-frequency oscillator has an injection-locked frequency divider circuit including an acoustic resonator as an oscillation element.