US 12,248,041 B2
Vapor cell detection system
August John McClenehan, Calabasas, CA (US); Steven Ryan Jefferts, Chatsworth, CA (US); and Vyacheslav Lebedev, Redondo Beach, CA (US)
Assigned to NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Falls Church, VA (US)
Filed by NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Falls Church, VA (US)
Filed on Apr. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/297,899.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/332,905, filed on Apr. 20, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0417848 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. G01R 33/26 (2006.01); G01R 33/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01R 33/26 (2013.01) [G01R 33/0052 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vapor cell comprising:
a transparent enclosure;
alkali metal atoms enclosed within the transparent enclosure, the alkali metal atoms being configured to be stimulated from a first energy state to a second energy state in response to an optical beam provided through the vapor cell and to emit fluorescent light in response to energy of the alkali metal atoms decaying from the second energy state to the first energy state; and
a reflective coating that is provided on an exterior surface of the transparent enclosure to surround the vapor cell to provide a reflective interior surface with respect to the transparent enclosure of the vapor cell to reflect the fluorescent light, the reflective coating comprising a detection window configured to facilitate escape of the fluorescent light from the vapor cell for optical detection.