Patent ID: 7379486

Claim:
A push-pull optical pumping system for inducing coherence population trapping resonances in alkali-metal atoms, the optical pumping system comprising: a resonance cell including a vapor cavity containing a source of alkali-metal atoms and one or more buffer gasses; a laser assembly adapted to produce alternating orthogonally polarized light at a carrier wavelength of the alkali-metal atoms; at least one DC current source adapted to output a carrier current signal for inducing laser emission from the laser assembly at said carrier wavelength, the at least one DC current source operatively connected to a servo mechanism for maintaining the intensity of the carrier current signal at a constant; an RF modulation source adapted to output an RF modulated signal for modulating the carrier current signal outputted from the at least one DC current source; a means for rectifying and phase-shifting the RF modulated signal outputted from the RF modulation source; and a means for sensing the transmission of laser light through the vapor cavity.