IP Library Granted Patent US 10,171,095
Granted Patent B2
US 10,171,095 · App. 15/648,847 · Granted Jan 1, 2019

Atomic oscillator, electronic apparatus, moving object, and manufacturing method of atomic oscillator

Inventors: Nobuhito Hayashi (Chino, JP); Yoshiyuki Maki (Suwa, JP); Naoki Ishihara (Chino, JP); Noriaki Tanaka (Chino, JP); Hiroyuki Yoshida (Izumo, JP); Satoshi Kubo (Adachi, JP)
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
H03L7/26G04F5/145H03B17/00H03B2200/0044
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,171,095
App. No.
15/648,847
Granted
Jan 1, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An atomic oscillator includes a gas cell, a semiconductor laser, and a frequency modulation signal generation section (such as a frequency transform circuit) which generates a frequency modulation signal for causing the semiconductor laser to generate frequency-modulated light including a resonance light pair (first-order sideband light pair) that causes an electromagnetically induced transparency phenomenon in metal atoms. When a modulation index of the frequency modulation signal, by which a first-order differential value of oscillation frequency deviation of the atomic oscillator becomes 0, is regarded as a first modulation index, the modulation index is within a range between a second modulation index, which is smaller than the first modulation index, with which the oscillation frequency deviation is 0 and a third modulation index, which is greater than the first modulation index, with which the oscillation frequency deviation is 0.

Claims (23)

1. An atomic oscillator comprising:

a cell which encapsulates metal atoms therein;

a light source which generates light for irradiation of the cell; and

a frequency modulation signal generator configured to generate a frequency modulation signal for causing the light source to generate the light, the light being frequency-modulated and including a resonance light pair, the resonance light pair causing an electromagnetically induced transparency phenomenon in the metal atoms,

wherein modulation indexes of the frequency modulation signal include a first modulation index, and

a first-order differential value of oscillation frequency deviation of the atomic oscillator is zero at the first modulation index.

2. The atomic oscillator according to claim 1 ,

wherein the modulation indexes include two or more modulation indexes at which the first-order differential value of the oscillation frequency deviation of the atomic oscillator is zero, and

the first modulation index is a smallest index among the two or more modulation indexes.

3. The atomic oscillator according to claim 1 ,

wherein the modulation indexes include two or more modulation indexes at which the first-order differential value of the oscillation frequency deviation of the atomic oscillator is zero, and

the first modulation index is a second smallest index among the two or more modulation indexes.

4. The atomic oscillator according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first modulation index is 3.0.

5. The atomic oscillator according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first modulation index is 4.6.

6. An electronic apparatus comprising:

the atomic oscillator according to claim 1 , the atomic oscillator configured to generate a clock signal;

a processor configured to perform processing in synchronization with the clock signal; and

a housing configured to house the atomic oscillator and the processor.

7. A moving object comprising:

the atomic oscillator according to claim 1 ; and

a movable body configured to house the atomic oscillator.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2022
From: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 061301/0770 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2017
From: HAYASHI, NOBUHITO; MAKI, YOSHIYUKI; ISHIHARA, NAOKI; TANAKA, NORIAKI; YOSHIDA, HIROYUKI; KUBO, SATOSHI
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043385/0382 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2013-202238 · Sep 27, 2013 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 14489959 · Sep 18, 2014
Related Publication 20170310332A1 · Oct 26, 2017