Apparatus with ambient magnetic field correction

[0001] This invention relates to an apparatus comprising a correction of the ambient magnetic field; it is added that this apparatus is used in an atomic clock for measuring time, or in a magnetometer, by a simple modification of the operating instructions.

[0002] Atomic clocks comprise a gaseous medium, often alkaline, a device for exciting the atoms of this gas such as a laser, capable of making them jump to higher energy states, and a means for measuring a frequential signal emitted by the atoms on returning to the normal energy level, using the photons coming from the laser.

[0003] The frequency of the signal of the photons returned by the gas is defined by the formula ν=ΔE/h, where ν is the frequency, ΔE the difference between the energy levels and h Planck's constant, equal to 6.62×10⁻³⁴ J/s.

[0004] It is known that this frequency is very stable and that it can thus serve as time reference unit. This is however no longer true when the Zeeman structure of the material is considered: the energy levels then appear as composed of sub-levels corresponding to slightly different states, which are distinguished by their magnetic quantum number m, 0 for a reference state of the energy level and −1, −2, etc. or +1, +2, etc. for the others. This is illustrated by FIG. 1 in the case of the element ⁸⁷Rb, in which has been shown the breakdown of the first two energy levels (of angular moments F=1 and F=2).

[0005] The energy levels are sensitive to the ambient magnetic field. This sensitivity is low (of the second order) for the sub-level at the magnetic number equal to 0, but much greater (of the first order) for the other sub-levels: the transitions made from or up to them produce photons, the frequency of which is variable and thus cannot serve as reference, and only the portion of the signal corresponding to the transition between the two sub-levels of zero magnetic number is exploited for the measurement, which adversely affects its quality. The reference frequency given by the clock is then the hyperfine transition frequency considered in the gas fo=E_O/h, where E₀ is the energy difference between the sub-levels at m=0 of the two states (F=1 and F=2 in the example of FIG. 1).

[0006] One thus resorts to a magnetic shield around the clock to reduce exterior perturbations and to the application of a constant magnetic field to properly separate the sub-levels, for want of guaranteeing a zero magnetic field. Although the operation of the clock is made more stable, the sub-levels then being immobile and thus well defined, the drawback of undergoing a dispersion of the frequencies and having to make do with a weakened signal is not avoided.

[0007] With the invention, it is endeavoured to improve existing atomic clocks by making them work in zero magnetic field in order to concentrate the sub-levels at a same energy value and to obtain a signal comprising a much sharper measurement peak. These considerations apply without change to other apparatuses and in particular to magnetometers, to which the invention thus also applies.

[0008] It consists in an apparatus that can serve as atomic clock or magnetometer, comprising a cell filled with a gas, an exciter of the gas to make its atoms jump to a higher energy level, a detector to collect a light signal passing through the gas, characterised in that it comprises means for applying magnetic fields, applying an essentially static magnetic field and two oscillating magnetic fields and directed perpendicular to each other, and means for controlling the means for applying magnetic fields to regulate in direction and in intensity the essentially static magnetic field.

[0014] The core of the clock (FIG. 2) is a cell filled with an alkali gas. An exciter 2 transmits energy to this gas in the form of a flux of polarised photons passing through a circular polariser 3. The exciter may also be a field of microwaves for example. It will then be necessary in any case to inject a light beam (for example a laser) to detect the resonances of the gas. A photodetector 4 collects the luminous energy returned by the gas of the cell 1 and transmits a signal to a counting device 5. A frequency separator 6 collects the signal at the output of the counting device 5 and transmits its results in the form of an indicator of intensity of the spectral lines measured to a device for operating 7 the clock and a control device 8, which governs the exciter 2 as well as means for applying magnetic fields 9 and 10. The latter emit magnetic fields at radiofrequencies of pulsations noted Ω and ω, which are mutually perpendicular and of direction depending on the polarisation (for example perpendicular to the light rays emitted by the exciter 2 in the case of a circular polarisation).

[0015] Reference is made to FIG. 3. The signal coming from the counting device 5 comprises several light rays, and firstly one that is at the useful frequency f₀ corresponding to the return of the photons by the gaseous medium and which gives the reference to the time measurement. It again shows spectral lines at the frequencies Ω/2π, (ω−Ω)/2π, ω/2π, and (ω+Ω)/2π. These spectral lines appear for magnetic fields of low values, very much less than 1/δ·T_R, where T_R is the relaxation time of the sub-levels and γ is their gyromagnetic ratio, characteristic of the excited chemical element. They correspond to resonances between the sub-levels. Their amplitude is proportional to the ambient magnetic field. It is thus taught by the invention to apply a magnetic field for compensating the essentially static ambient magnetic field, but which is made to vary in a continuous manner in amplitude and in direction if necessary, so that the amplitude of these rays is reduced as much as possible, which signifies that the compensation field has balanced out the ambient magnetic field. FIG. 4 then shows that the sub-levels of each main level are at a same energy value, so that the photons returned by the gaseous medium are all at the useful frequency f₀: the corresponding spectral line appears in the form of a much sharper and higher peak, the detection of which is thus facilitated.

[0016] By applying the invention, it becomes possible to omit traditional magnetic shielding of atomic clocks.

[0017] The amplitudes of the radiofrequency fields are advantageously chosen to maximise the amplitude of resonance spectral lines (before the application of the static compensation field). It is advisable to respect approximately the equalities γHω/ω=1 and γHΩ/Ω=1, where Hω and HΩ are the amplitudes of the radiofrequency fields of pulsations ω and Ω. Advantageously, the means for applying the substantially static compensation magnetic field are identical to those that apply radiofrequency magnetic fields.

[0018] The unique exciter may be a flux of photons such as a laser flux emitted for example by a diode laser or a lamp. The gaseous element may consist of ⁸⁷Rb, ¹³³Cs, with mixing if necessary with a buffer gas. The material of the cell 1 may consist of a glass such as Pyrex (registered trademark). The means for applying magnetic fields 9 and 10 may consist of triaxial coils, or of three mutually concentric monoaxial coils. The photodetector 4 may be of any type measuring a flux of photons at the output of the cell 1. These photons have to be polarised for example by polarisers added to the exciter. The control is accomplished by any known material comprising a computing unit. The coils are current or voltage controlled. The excitation to the resonance frequency f₀ is accomplished by an amplitude modulation of the diode laser at the frequency f₀/2 or by a microwave cavity resonating at the frequency f₀. An exciter comprising two lasers, the difference in frequency of which is f₀, may also be envisaged.

[0019] Since all the sub-levels become equivalent in zero field (independently of their m value), it is then possible to use other gases than those normally used (alkaline gases) in atomic clocks, in particular gases in which the hyperfine structure of their atoms does not have sub-levels with zero angular momentum, such as ³He.

[0020] In a concrete example where the clock operated with ⁸⁷Rb, and a wavelength of the returned photons of 795 nm, the radiofrequency fields had frequencies Ω/2π and ω/2π of 10 kHz and 45 kHz, and respective amplitudes of 15 mGauss and 70 mGauss. With an ambient magnetic field of the order of 10 mGauss, the compensation was made with residual field less than 10 mGauss at each axis. The resolution on the compensation magnetic field (magnetic noise due to disruptions of the control means) was of the order of 0.1μ Gauss/√{square root over (Hz)}. The frequency stability of the clock was of the order of 0.67 Hz/√{square root over (Hz)}, i.e. 10⁻¹⁰/√{square root over (τ)} in relative resolution on the frequency delivered by the clock for an integration time τ.

[0021] The use of the invention has been described for an atomic clock, which may be of sequential or Ramsay fringe operation. It could also be applied to the measurement of magnetic fields, in other words as magnetometer. It would suffice to record the compensation magnetic field applied when the spectral lines of FIG. 3 due to the radiofrequency fields would be at the minimum, reading it on the means for applying magnetic fields 8 and 10: the ambient magnetic field would be opposed.

[0022] It is interesting to note that since the field seen by the atoms is zero, a magnetic shield proves to be superfluous.