Patent ID: 9454135
Filing Date: 2016-09-27
CPC Classification: G04F,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A vapor cell, comprising: a cell structure comprised of a center plate sandwiched between top and bottom plates; the center plate comprises a single crystal silicon wafer, has a top and bottom surface and includes a central interior aperture extending completely through the center plate, the top and bottom plates are substantially optically transparent to radiation passing through the vapor cell structure during operation of the device, each having top and bottom surfaces; the top surface of the bottom plate is bonded to the bottom surface of the center plate, wherein the top surface of the bottom plate includes a cavity that extends from the top surface of the bottom plate to a first depth across a width of the cavity and is aligned with the central interior aperture in the central plate with the open end of the cavity facing the central interior aperture and wherein the width of the cavity of the bottom plate is greater than a width of the central interior aperture at the bottom surface of the center plate; the bottom surface of the top plate is bonded to the top surface of the center plate, wherein the bottom surface of the top plate includes a cavity that extends from the bottom surface of the top plate to a second depth across a width of the cavity and is aligned with the central interior aperture in the central plate with the open end of the cavity facing the central interior aperture, and wherein the width of the cavity of the top plate is greater than the width of the central interior aperture at the top surface of the center plate; heaters and sensors are attached to the bottom surface of the bottom plate; the bottom surface of the top plate attached to the top surface of the center plate, after which a photodetector is attached to the top surface of top plate; an interior cavity formed from the interior aperture in the center plate and the cavities formed in the top and bottom plates, when sealed with the top and bottom plates, wherein the top and bottom plates are configured to provide transparent apertures composed of curved surface interior walls that define lens portions of top plate and bottom plate to collimate a laser beam projected through the interior cavity; the interior cavity is filled with a cesium or rubidium vapor, as well as a buffer gas; and a laser diode configured to provide laser light to excite the cesium or rubidium vapor in the interior cavity.