IP Library Granted Patent US 8,080,778
Granted Patent B2
US 8,080,778 · App. 12/390,669 · Granted Dec 20, 2011

Channel cell system

Assignees: SRI International; The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body Corporate
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 8,080,778
App. No.
12/390,669
Granted
Dec 20, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides an improved cold-atom system having multiple chambers such that a first of the chambers includes an atom source. The system also includes an atom trap disposed inside a second of the chambers. A fluidic connection is provided between the first of the vacuum chamber and the second of the vacuum chamber.

Claims (28)

1. A channel cell system comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of separate vacuum chambers integrated on the substrate, said vacuum chambers having an interior section and an exterior section, a first of the separate vacuum chambers including an atom source;

at least one atom trap disposed in the interior section of a second of the separate vacuum chambers; and

a fluidic connection between the first separate vacuum chambers and the second separate vacuum chambers.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said atom trap is an atom chip having conductive traces on its surface, wherein said conductive traces create magnetic fields to trap and manipulate atoms.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said atom trap is an atom chip having conductive traces on both sides of the chip, wherein said conductive traces create magnetic fields to trap and manipulate atoms on said both sides of the chip simultaneously.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said atom chip comprising at least one aperture to connect said both sides of the chip.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said atom trap is an atom chip having conductive traces on its surface, wherein said conductive traces create electric fields to trap and manipulate ions.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said atom trap is an atom chip having conductive traces on both sides of the chip, wherein said conductive traces create electric fields to trap and manipulate ions on said both sides of the chip simultaneously.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said atom chip comprising at least one aperture to connect said both sides of the chip.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said atom trap is a time-orbiting potential (TOP) trap having at least four conductors, wherein said conductors create magnetic fields to trap and manipulate atoms.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said TOP trap is disposed in middle portion of the interior section of the second of the vacuum chamber.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said conductors are supported by a support bar and attached to a cover cell by anodic bonding.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said cover cell comprises an opening to provide electrical contacts from the support bar in the interior section of the second vacuum chamber to the exterior section of the second of the vacuum chamber.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said atom trap is disposed on interior walls of the second of the vacuum chamber.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said second of the vacuum chamber is placed in a curve position with respect to the first of the vacuum chamber to provide optical isolation to the second of the vacuum chamber.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising electrical feed-throughs located at walls of the exterior section of the vacuum chambers to supply electrical power to the interior section of the plurality of the vacuum chambers.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the atom source forms a cloud of atoms via a cold-atom technique in the first of the vacuum chamber.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a mechanism to transport the atoms through a micro-channel from the first of the vacuum chamber to the second of the vacuum chambers.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said atoms are trapped by the atom trap in said second of the vacuum chambers.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said atoms are condensed to form a Bose-Einstein condensate in said second of the vacuum chambers.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein said atoms are manipulated to form an atom interferometer in said second of the vacuum chambers.

20. A method for handling cold atoms, the method comprising:

integrating at least a first chamber and at least a second chamber onto a substrate;

producing cold atoms in the first chamber;

transferring said cold atoms from the first chamber to the second chamber, said second chamber having a lower internal pressure than an internal pressure of the first chamber; and

providing an atom trap in an interior of the second chamber to trap and manipulate said atoms.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Oct 12, 2011
From: SARNOFF CORPORATION
To: SRI INTERNATIONAL
Reel/Frame 027046/0400 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2011
From: SARNOFF CORPORATION
To: SRI INTERNATIONAL
Reel/Frame 026604/0514 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME TO "THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, A BODY CORPORATE" PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 025863 FRAME 0037. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 25, 2011
From: ANDERSON, DANA Z.; SALIM, EVAN; HUDEK, KAI
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, A BODY CORPORATE
Reel/Frame 026026/0260 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2011
From: ANDERSON, DANA Z.; SALIM, EVAN; HUDEK, KAI
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
Reel/Frame 025863/0037 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2010
From: MCBRIDE, STERLING EDUARDO
To: SARNOFF CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024996/0432 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61030335 · Feb 21, 2008
Related Publication 20090212204A1 · Aug 27, 2009