Abstract: The invention provides a vacuum-tight enclosure for a beam apparatus, a beam apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a vacuum-tight enclosure. The vacuum-tight enclosure is essentially formed of: a beam input interface for receiving a molecular or atomic beam, a first optical interaction volume, a microwave cavity comprising a U-shaped portion, a second optical interaction volume, a straight hollow beam enclosure for enclosing the molecular or atomic beam between the first optical interaction volume and the second optical interaction volume, and a vacuum source interface, and a plurality of optical port interfaces, such that a vacuum is generatable within the vacuum-tight enclosure when a vacuum source is vacuum-tightly attached to the vacuum source interface, a beam source container is vacuum-tightly attached to the beam input interface and the plurality of optical port interfaces are vacuum-tightly sealed.

Abstract: A method for compensating a reference frequency shift due to an interaction of resonant light provided by a resonant light source with atoms of an atomic beam crossing a resonant microwave cavity between light interaction zones includes toggling a wavelength of the provided resonant light between a main optical pumping transition, OPT1, and an alternate optical pumping transition, OPT2, of the atoms of the atomic beam while a frequency of the microwave probe signal fed into the microwave cavity is modulated with a frequency modulation depth, FMD. The method further includes computing a wavelength modulation compensation error signal, WM-CES depending on the measured signal amplitudes of Ramsey fringes used to control the frequency of the microwave probe signal fed into the microwave cavity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the operation lifetime of a beam tube are provided. The method includes converting an electrical current output by the beam tube into an intermediate voltage to provide a voltage signal used for changing an electron multiplier polarization voltage applied to an electron multiplier by a power supply unit controlled by an electron multiplier gain control signal generated by a controller. The controller regulates the electrical current output by the beam tube to keep it below a characteristic current threshold by adjusting the electron multiplier gain control signal until it reaches a predefined maximum value. The voltage signal applied to the controller is regulated by increasing the variable gain of a voltage amplifier to compensate for a drop in electrical current output by the beam tube caused by the aging of the electron multiplier until the applied voltage signal reaches a predefined minimum value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the operation lifetime of a beam tube, BT, (2) having an electron multiplier (2F) which amplifies a received ionic current with an electron multiplier gain, GEM, to provide an electrical current (IBT) output by the said beam tube, BT, (2), is provided.

Abstract: A redundant optical radiant energy source, especially for metrology applications, including a redundant optical device for creating optical radiation including at least two semiconductor lasers, which are provided on a thermally conducting laser support, at least one thermal sensor configured to detect the temperature of the laser support or at least one of the semiconductor lasers, respectively; and a heating/cooling device thermally connected to or integrally provided with the laser support.

Abstract: Disclosed is a random light collector device including a reflecting cavity configured to enclose a random light source that randomly transmits photons. The reflecting cavity has an inner wall adapted to reflect at least a portion of the photons to an output port and guiding means for directing the photons to a photodetector. The guiding means is a hollow tube having an inner wall adapted to reflect the photons, wherein a first end of the hollow tube is connected to or positioned adjacent to the output port of the reflecting cavity and wherein the photodetector is provided within the hollow tube or at a second end such that a sensitive area of the photodetector covers the cross-section of the second end.

Abstract: A redundant optical radiant energy source, especially for metrology applications, including a redundant optical device for creating optical radiation including at least two semiconductor lasers, which are provided on a thermally conducting laser support, at least one thermal sensor configured to detect the temperature of the laser support or at least one of the semiconductor lasers, respectively; and a heating/cooling device thermally connected to or integrally provided with the laser support.

Abstract: Disclosed is a random light collector device including a reflecting cavity configured to enclose a random light source that randomly transmits photons. The reflecting cavity has an inner wall adapted to reflect at least a portion of the photons to an output port and guiding means for directing the photons to a photodetector. The guiding means is a hollow tube having an inner wall adapted to reflect the photons, wherein a first end of the hollow tube is connected to or positioned adjacent to the output port of the reflecting cavity and wherein the photodetector is provided within the hollow tube or at a second end such that a sensitive area of the photodetector covers the cross-section of the second end.

Abstract: A method for optical pumping of particles and a device for implementing same. The particles (14) are changed from one long lifetime level to another long lifetime level via a short lifetime level by means of interaction with light radiation (16) emitted by a laser source. Prior to this interaction, the light radiation undergoes depolarization in a direction that is essentially perpendicular to the direction of propagation thereof, so as to reduce the entrapment of particles (14) in the black state.

Abstract: A method for optical pumping of particles and a device for implementing same. The particles (14) are changed from one long lifetime level to another long lifetime level via a short lifetime level by means of interaction with light radiation (16) emitted by a laser source. Prior to this interaction, the light radiation undergoes depolarization in a direction that is essentially perpendicular to the direction of propagation thereof, so as to reduce the entrapment of particles (14) in the black state.