A process for optically sorting a plurality of particles includes: providing a particle receiver; producing particles; receiving the particles by the particle receiver; receiving a light by the particle receiver; producing a standing wave optical interference pattern in an optical interference site of the particle receiver from the light; subjecting the particles to an optical gradient force from the standing wave optical interference pattern; deflecting the particles into a plurality of deflected paths to form the sorted particles from the particles; and propagating the sorted particles from the optical interference site through the deflected paths to optically sort the particles.

A process for optically sorting a plurality of particles includes: providing a particle receiver; producing particles; receiving the particles by the particle receiver; receiving a light by the particle receiver; producing a standing wave optical interference pattern in an optical interference site of the particle receiver from the light; subjecting the particles to an optical gradient force from the standing wave optical interference pattern; deflecting the particles into a plurality of deflected paths to form the sorted particles from the particles; and propagating the sorted particles from the optical interference site through the deflected paths to optically sort the particles.

A high frequency gravitational wave generator including a gas filled shell with an outer shell surface, microwave emitters, sound generators, and acoustic vibration resonant gas-filled cavities. The outer shell surface is electrically charged and vibrated by the microwave emitters to generate a first electromagnetic field. The acoustic vibration resonant gas-filled cavities each have a cavity surface that can be electrically charged and vibrated by acoustic energy from the sound generators such that a second electromagnetic field is generated. The two acoustic vibration resonant gas-filled cavities are able to counter spin relative to each other to provide stability, and propagating gravitational field fluctuations are generated when the second electromagnetic field propagates through the first electromagnetic field.

A high frequency gravitational wave generator including a gas filled shell with an outer shell surface, microwave emitters, sound generators, and acoustic vibration resonant gas-filled cavities. The outer shell surface is electrically charged and vibrated by the microwave emitters to generate a first electromagnetic field. The acoustic vibration resonant gas-filled cavities each have a cavity surface that can be electrically charged and vibrated by acoustic energy from the sound generators such that a second electromagnetic field is generated. The two acoustic vibration resonant gas-filled cavities are able to counter spin relative to each other to provide stability, and propagating gravitational field fluctuations are generated when the second electromagnetic field propagates through the first electromagnetic field.

An atomic oscillator includes: an atomic cell in which an alkali metal is sealed; a light-emitting element that emits light to be radiated to the alkali metal; a light-receiving element that receives the light transmitted through the atomic cell and outputs a signal in accordance with a light reception intensity of the light; and a lens that is disposed between the light-emitting element and the atomic cell, wherein a focal point of the lens is spaced apart from a portion of the light-emitting element from which the light is emitted.

An atomic oscillator includes: an atomic cell in which an alkali metal is sealed; a light-emitting element that emits light to be radiated to the alkali metal; a light-receiving element that receives the light transmitted through the atomic cell and outputs a signal in accordance with a light reception intensity of the light; and a lens that is disposed between the light-emitting element and the atomic cell, wherein a focal point of the lens is spaced apart from a portion of the light-emitting element from which the light is emitted.

A temporally continuous matter wave beam splitter (14) comprising a plurality of intersecting and interfering laser beam (k.sub.r, k.sub.b), which act as waveguides for a matter wave beam. The laser beams of the waveguides each have a frequency detuned below a frequency of an internal atomic transition of the matter wave. The matter wave has a wavevector which is an integral multiple of the wavevector of the laser beams within a region of intersection of the laser beams. There is also provided an atomic interferometer (200) comprising such a continuous matter wave beam splitter, and a solid state device comprising such a continuous matter wave beam splitter, which may be part of an atomic interferometer. A cold atom gyroscope, a cold atom accelerometer or a cold atom gravimeter comprising such a solid state device are also provided. There is further provided a quantum computer comprising such a solid state device, wherein atoms of the matter wave beam are in an entangled quantum state. There is also provided a method of splitting a matter wave beam, comprising introducing the matter wave beam into a first temporally continuous laser beam, the frequency of which is detuned below a frequency of an internal atomic transition of the matter wave beam; intersecting and interfering the first continuous laser beam with a second temporally continuous laser beam, the frequency of which is also detuned below the frequency of the internal atomic transition of the matter wave beam; providing the matter wave beam with a wavevector which is an integral multiple of the wavevector of the first and second laser beams within a region of intersection of the laser beams, whereby the laser beams act as waveguides for the matter wave beam.

A temporally continuous matter wave beam splitter (14) comprising a plurality of intersecting and interfering laser beam (k.sub.r, k.sub.b), which act as waveguides for a matter wave beam. The laser beams of the waveguides each have a frequency detuned below a frequency of an internal atomic transition of the matter wave. The matter wave has a wavevector which is an integral multiple of the wavevector of the laser beams within a region of intersection of the laser beams. There is also provided an atomic interferometer (200) comprising such a continuous matter wave beam splitter, and a solid state device comprising such a continuous matter wave beam splitter, which may be part of an atomic interferometer. A cold atom gyroscope, a cold atom accelerometer or a cold atom gravimeter comprising such a solid state device are also provided. There is further provided a quantum computer comprising such a solid state device, wherein atoms of the matter wave beam are in an entangled quantum state. There is also provided a method of splitting a matter wave beam, comprising introducing the matter wave beam into a first temporally continuous laser beam, the frequency of which is detuned below a frequency of an internal atomic transition of the matter wave beam; intersecting and interfering the first continuous laser beam with a second temporally continuous laser beam, the frequency of which is also detuned below the frequency of the internal atomic transition of the matter wave beam; providing the matter wave beam with a wavevector which is an integral multiple of the wavevector of the first and second laser beams within a region of intersection of the laser beams, whereby the laser beams act as waveguides for the matter wave beam.

A technique to guide a micro- or nano-scale particle uses the wavelengths of light beams to control the direction of motion of the particle. In this technique, an optical asymmetry is introduced into the particle to form a composite particle. The composite particle includes two faces that preferentially absorb light of different wavelengths, independent of the particle orientation. The difference in absorption spectra of the two faces creates a bidirectional and local thermal gradient that is externally switchable by changing the wavelength of the incident light beams. This thermal gradient induces a thermophoretic drift that moves the composite particle. A two-faced nanoparticle can be guided using the optically induced thermophoretic drift as the propulsion mechanism.

A technique to guide a micro- or nano-scale particle uses the wavelengths of light beams to control the direction of motion of the particle. In this technique, an optical asymmetry is introduced into the particle to form a composite particle. The composite particle includes two faces that preferentially absorb light of different wavelengths, independent of the particle orientation. The difference in absorption spectra of the two faces creates a bidirectional and local thermal gradient that is externally switchable by changing the wavelength of the incident light beams. This thermal gradient induces a thermophoretic drift that moves the composite particle. A two-faced nanoparticle can be guided using the optically induced thermophoretic drift as the propulsion mechanism.