US 12,334,943 B2
Atomic clock system
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 Aug. 4, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/365,265.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/395,981, filed on Aug. 8, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0048145 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. H03L 7/26 (2006.01); H01P 3/12 (2006.01)
CPC H03L 7/26 (2013.01) [H01P 3/122 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An atomic clock system comprising:
a waveguide cavity that is sealed and comprises a gas enclosed therein, the waveguide cavity having a length that is an integer multiple of approximately one half-wavelength of a resonant frequency of the gas between two states;
an oscillator system configured to generate an RF signal through the waveguide cavity, wherein the oscillator system comprises a frequency controller that is configured to provide the RF signal as a dither signal between a first signal frequency and a second signal frequency, the RF signal having a center frequency between the first and second signal frequencies that is approximately equal to the resonant frequency of the gas; and
a detection system configured to measure a characteristic of the RF signal through the waveguide cavity to detect a maximum transition between the two states of the gas and to provide a feedback signal to the oscillator system to lock the center frequency of the RF signal to the resonant frequency of the gas based on detecting the maximum transition, the detection system being configured to provide a frequency reference output signal based on the center frequency of the RF signal.