US 12,346,069 B2
Atomic clock utilizing spin-dependent recombination
Denis Karaiskaj, Tampa, FL (US)
Assigned to University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (US)
Filed by UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, Tampa, FL (US)
Filed on Nov. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/507,419.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/425,797, filed on Nov. 16, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0160154 A1, May 16, 2024
Int. Cl. G04F 5/14 (2006.01); H03L 7/26 (2006.01)
CPC G04F 5/14 (2013.01) [H03L 7/26 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A silicon-based atomic clock configured for use in an electronic apparatus, the atomic clock comprising:
a single-isotope silicon crystal doped with impurity atoms configured to have an energy level transition of the impurity atoms to be used as a frequency resonance of the atomic clock;
a source of energy configured to excite the impurity atoms within the single-isotope silicon crystal; and
a device configured to detect the energy level transition of the impurity atoms based at least in part on a spin-dependent recombination in said single-isotope silicon crystal;
wherein the atomic clock further comprises a first magnetic coil surrounding at least a portion of said single-isotope silicon crystal, wherein the first magnetic coil is configured to provide a first magnetic field to drive a hyperfine resonance of the impurity atoms by generating an initial spin coherence of impurity nuclei within said silicon crystal;
wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:
(i) wherein the first magnetic coil is configured to provide a static second magnetic field, wherein a first vector of the first magnetic field is substantially parallel to a second vector of the second magnetic field, and
(ii) the atomic clock further comprises a second magnetic coil surrounding at least a portion of said silicon crystal, wherein the second magnetic coil is configured to provide said static second magnetic field, wherein the first vector of the first magnetic field is substantially parallel to the second vector of the second magnetic field.