Smart electric meters configured to perform fast, time-synchronized electrical energy measurements at the consumer-level are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a smart electric meter includes circuitry configured to measure an electrical value at a location of an end user in a power system. The smart electric meter can further include an atomic clock configured to output a timing signal, and a controller configured to receive (a) the measured electrical value from the circuitry and (b) the timing signal from the atomic clock. The controller can further (a) process the electrical value to generate meter data and (b) generate a time tag based on the timing signal. Then, the controller can associate the time tag with the meter data to generate time-tagged meter data.

The present disclosure provides an optical system (100) for controlling atoms. The optical system (100) comprises a laser source (10) for generating a laser beam at a carrier frequency and microwave and radio frequency (MW/RF) sources (41 and 45) for generating I and Q modulation signals at a set of frequencies, wherein the set of frequencies comprises at least two frequencies. The optical system (100) further comprises an IQ modulator (20) configured for receiving the laser beam and the generated signals at the set of frequencies and for outputting an output laser beam (Eout) based on the received laser beam and the generated signals at the set of frequencies, wherein the output laser beam (Eout) comprises multi-toned optical single-sidebands (MT-OSSB) at the set of frequencies with the carrier frequency being suppressed.

In some variations, an interferometric frequency-reference apparatus comprises: an atom source configured to supply neutral atoms to be ionized; an ionizer configured to excite the neutral atoms to form ionized atoms; an ion collimator configured to form a collimated beam of the ionized atoms; probe lasers; and a Doppler laser configured to determine a ground-state population of the ionized atoms, wherein the atom source, the ionizer, and the ion collimator are disposed within a vacuum chamber. Other variations provide a method of creating a stable frequency reference, comprising: forming ionized atoms from an atomic vapor; forming a collimated beam of ionized atoms; illuminating ionized atoms with first and second probe lasers; adjusting the frequencies of the first probe and second probe lasers using Ramsey spectroscopy to an S.fwdarw.D transition of ionized atoms; and determining a ground-state population of the ionized atoms with another laser.

A method of making an array of vapor cells for an array of magnetometers includes providing a plurality of separate vapor cell elements, each vapor cell element including at least one vapor cell; arranging the vapor cell elements in an alignment jig to produce a selected arrangement of the vapor cells; attaching at least one alignment-maintaining film onto the vapor cell elements in the alignment jig; transferring the vapor cells elements and the at least one alignment-maintaining film from the alignment jig to a mold; injecting a bonding material into the mold and between the vapor cell elements to bond the vapor cell elements in the selected arrangement; removing the at least one alignment maintaining film from the vapor cell elements; and removing the bonded vapor cells elements in the selected arrangement from the mold to provide the array of vapor.

Chip technology for fabricating ultra-low-noise, high-stability optical devices for use in an optical atomic clock system. The proposed chip technology uses diamond material to form stabilized lasers, frequency references, and passive laser cavity structures. By utilizing the exceptional thermal conductivity of diamond and other optical and dielectric properties, a specific temperature range of operation is proposed that allows significant reduction of the total energy required to generate and maintain an ultra-stable laser. In each configuration, the diamond-based chip is cooled by a cryogenic cooler containing liquid nitrogen.

A packaged electronic device includes a multilayer lead frame having first and second trace levels, a via level therebetween, a conductive feed structure, and a conductive reflector wall. The first trace level includes a conductive coupler antenna and a conductive ground structure that extends in a plane of orthogonal first and second directions, and a portion of the conductive coupler antenna faces outward along a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions. The conductive reflector wall has an opening and extends along the third direction between the first and second trace levels around a portion of the conductive coupler antenna. The conductive feed structure is coupled to the conductive coupler antenna and extends along the first direction through the opening of the conductive reflector wall.

An optical fiber heating device includes a heat producing fiber wrapped around a cell which is filled with an atom vapor.

A tri-axial magnetic field correction coil includes a first coil group and a second coil group with respect to an X-axis direction that passes through a clock transition space in which atoms are disposed. The first coil group is a Helmholtz-type coil composed in a point-symmetrical shape around the clock transition space. The second coil group is composed in a point-symmetrical shape around the clock transition space with respect to the X-axis direction, and is a non-Helmholtz-type coil that differs from the first coil group in terms of coil size, coil shape, or distance between coils.

A tri-axial magnetic field correction coil includes a first coil group and a second coil group with respect to an X-axis direction that passes through a clock transition space in which atoms are disposed. The first coil group is a Helmholtz-type coil composed in a point-symmetrical shape around the clock transition space. The second coil group is composed in a point-symmetrical shape around the clock transition space with respect to the X-axis direction, and is a non-Helmholtz-type coil that differs from the first coil group in terms of coil size, coil shape, or distance between coils.

A packaged electronic device includes a multilayer lead frame having first and second trace levels, a via level therebetween, a conductive feed structure, and a conductive reflector wall. The first trace level includes a conductive coupler antenna and a conductive ground structure that extends in a plane of orthogonal first and second directions, and a portion of the conductive coupler antenna faces outward along a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions. The conductive reflector wall has an opening and extends along the third direction between the first and second trace levels around a portion of the conductive coupler antenna. The conductive feed structure is coupled to the conductive coupler antenna and extends along the first direction through the opening of the conductive reflector wall.