Patent ID: 11868095
Assignee: WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 20:
21. A method of timekeeping using an optical atomic clock having:
a source of alkali metal atoms;
a trapping laser providing at least one optical trap holding the received atoms;
a clock laser optically probing the trapped atoms in transition from a ground state to an optical excited energy state; and
a lock circuit monitoring light from decay of trapped atoms from the optical excited energy state to the ground state to adjust the frequency of the clock laser for use as a clock output, the method including:
(a) loading the alkali metal atoms into the optical trap;
(b) exciting the trapped atoms to an excited state using the clock laser; and
(c) monitoring light from decay of the trapped atoms to the ground state from the excited energy state to adjust the clock laser as a clock output;
wherein the transition between the ground state and the excited energy state is an electric dipole forbidden transition of the alkali metal atoms.