Gas cell, molecular clock, and gas cell equilibration method

By setting a micro-leak module in the gas chamber to control the gas flow rate, dynamic balance of the three chambers is achieved, which solves the problems of gas purity and pressure variation in traditional gas chamber encapsulation and improves the stability and accuracy of the molecular clock.

CN120370653BActive Publication Date: 2025-10-31JIANGXI ZHONGWEI DAXIN TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202510847464.4
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-06-24
Publication Date
2025-10-31
Estimated Expiration
2045-06-24

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In traditional clock cell encapsulation solutions, issues such as material venting or absorbing gas can cause variations in the purity and pressure of the gas in the cell environment, affecting the accuracy and long-term stability of the molecular clock.

Method used

A gas chamber structure is designed, including a first sealed chamber, a second sealed chamber, and a third sealed chamber. By setting a micro-leak module to control the gas flow rate, the gas purity and pressure in the second sealed chamber are kept constant, thereby achieving a dynamic balance gas-sealing device for the three chambers.

Benefits of technology

The performance of the molecular clock was stabilized, its long-term stability was improved, the gas purity and pressure remained basically unchanged, and the impact of gas precipitation or absorption on the gas chamber environment was resolved.

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Abstract

This application provides a gas chamber, a molecular clock, and a gas chamber balancing method. A first microleak module is placed between a first sealed chamber and a second sealed chamber, and a second microleak module is placed between the second and third sealed chambers. The flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the first sealed chamber through the first microleak module to the second sealed chamber is controlled to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the second sealed chamber through the second microleak module to the third sealed chamber. This ensures that the purity and pressure of the target gas in the second sealed chamber remain essentially constant, achieving a dynamic balance gas-sealed enclosure across the three chambers. This solves the problem of the influence of the precipitated or absorbed target gas on the purity and pressure of the gas molecules in the second sealed chamber, further stabilizing the performance of the molecular clock and providing its long-term stability.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of high-precision instrument measurement technology, and more specifically, to a gas cell, a molecular clock, and a gas cell balancing method. Background Technology

[0002] The molecular clock cell is a key component in high-precision molecular clock products. It is mainly used to contain polar gas molecules, providing space for the interaction between electromagnetic waves and polar gas molecules. The electromagnetic molecular rotation spectrum generated by the quantized rotational energy level transitions of polar gas molecules under the action of electromagnetic fields achieves high-precision timing. The molecular clock uses the peaks of the rotation spectrum of polar gas molecules penetrating the cell with high-frequency electromagnetic waves as a frequency reference. The encapsulation of polar gas molecules in the molecular clock cell is a key process to achieve the performance of the molecular clock product. For example, the performance of the molecular clock is affected by the purity of polar gas molecules, gas pressure, and ambient temperature.

[0003] Traditional clock cell encapsulation solutions mainly involve filling a low-leakage, high-vacuum clock cell with polar gas molecules using a gas filling device. However, the cell will always have the problem of gas escaping or absorbing from the material inside. The gas released or absorbed by the material will affect the gas pressure in the cell environment and the purity of the polar gas, which will lead to instability in the accuracy of the molecular clock and its long-term stability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a gas chamber, a molecular clock, and a gas chamber balancing method to solve the problem that the current clock gas chamber encapsulation scheme has unstable accuracy and its long-term stability is easily affected because the purity and pressure of the gas in the gas chamber environment are affected by the gas escaping or absorbing of the material itself.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a gas chamber comprising: a first sealed chamber, a second sealed chamber, and a third sealed chamber; wherein the first and second sealed chambers are configured to contain a target gas, and the third sealed chamber contains an intake medium; the second sealed chamber is disposed within the first sealed chamber; a first micro-leakage module is disposed on the second sealed chamber, the first micro-leakage module connecting the first sealed chamber and the second sealed chamber; the third sealed chamber is disposed within the second sealed chamber; a second micro-leakage module is disposed on the third sealed chamber, the second micro-leakage module connecting the second sealed chamber and the third sealed chamber; wherein the intake medium is used to absorb the target gas in the third sealed chamber; wherein the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber to the second sealed chamber is equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber to the third sealed chamber.

[0006] The gas chamber provided by this solution uses a first micro-leak module between the first sealed chamber (gas source chamber) and the second sealed chamber (gas chamber), and a second micro-leak module between the second sealed chamber (gas chamber) and the third sealed chamber (getter chamber). The flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the first sealed chamber through the first micro-leak module to the second sealed chamber is controlled to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the second sealed chamber through the second micro-leak module to the third sealed chamber. This ensures that the purity and pressure of the target gas in the second sealed chamber remain essentially constant, achieving a dynamic balance gas-sealing device across the three chambers. This solves the problem of the impact of the target gas precipitated or absorbed by the material in the second sealed chamber on the purity and pressure of the gas molecules in the second sealed chamber, further stabilizing the performance of the molecular clock and providing its long-term stability.

[0007] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the ratio of the air pressure in the second sealed chamber to the air pressure in the first sealed chamber is equal to the target leakage rate ratio; the target leakage rate ratio is the ratio of the first leakage rate of the first micro-leakage module to the second leakage rate of the second micro-leakage module.

[0008] In the above-described implementation, this solution controls the ratio of the gas pressure in the second sealed chamber to the gas pressure in the first sealed chamber to be equal to the target leakage rate ratio. This ensures that the flow rate from the first micro-leak module to the second sealed chamber is equal to the flow rate of the target gas released from the second sealed chamber through the second micro-leak module to the third sealed chamber. By accurately controlling the gas pressure ratio, dynamic balance of the three chambers can be achieved, improving the accuracy and controllability of maintaining the purity of the target gas in the second sealed chamber and keeping the gas pressure essentially constant.

[0009] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the first microleak module includes a first opening, a second opening, and a plurality of first microleak channels connecting the first opening and the second opening; wherein the first opening is located in a first sealing chamber, and the second opening is located in a second sealing chamber; the second microleak module includes a third opening, a fourth opening, and a plurality of second microleak channels connecting the third opening and the fourth opening; wherein the third opening is located in a second sealing chamber, and the fourth opening is located in a third sealing chamber.

[0010] In an alternative embodiment of the first aspect, the first microdrain module and the second microdrain module are formed by bonding the first silicon wafer and the second silicon wafer; the first opening and the fourth opening are formed on the first silicon wafer, the second opening and the third opening are formed on the second silicon wafer, and the first microdrain channel and the second microdrain channel are formed between the first silicon wafer and the second silicon wafer.

[0011] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the first leakage rate of the first microleak module is related to the number of channels, channel width, depth, and length of the first microleak channel, and the second leakage rate of the second microleak module is related to the number of channels, channel width, depth, and length of the second microleak channel.

[0012] In the above-mentioned various implementation methods, this solution constructs the micro-drain channel structure of the micro-drain module through photolithography and multilayer bonding technology of silicon wafers, thereby enabling precise control of the leakage rate of the micro-drain module and achieving nanometer-level accuracy in the leakage rate. At the same time, silicon has good chemical inertness to most gases (such as air, nitrogen, oxygen, inert gases, etc.) at room temperature, and is not prone to reacting with gases, ensuring long-term stability of the leakage rate.

[0013] In an optional embodiment of the first aspect, the getter is any one of an evaporative getter, a non-evaporative getter, or a composite getter.

[0014] The above-described embodiments allow for the use of various types of gas-absorbing media to achieve gas absorption within the third sealed chamber, thereby improving the versatility of the solution.

[0015] In an alternative embodiment of the first aspect, a limiting groove is provided in the second sealing chamber, and the third sealing chamber is disposed within the limiting groove.

[0016] In the above-described embodiment, the limiting groove of this solution is designed to provide a third sealing chamber, thereby making the third sealing chamber more stable within the second sealing chamber, and thus improving the airtightness between the chambers.

[0017] In a second aspect, this application provides a molecular clock that includes the gas chamber described in any of the optional embodiments of the first aspect.

[0018] The molecular clock designed above utilizes a first microleak module between the first sealed chamber (gas source chamber) and the second sealed chamber (gas chamber), and a second microleak module between the second sealed chamber (gas chamber) and the third sealed chamber (getter chamber). The flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the first sealed chamber through the first microleak module to the second sealed chamber is controlled to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the second sealed chamber through the second microleak module to the third sealed chamber. This ensures that the purity and pressure of the target gas in the second sealed chamber remain essentially constant, achieving a dynamic balance gas-tight enclosure across the three chambers. This solves the problem of the influence of the target gas precipitated or absorbed by the material in the second sealed chamber on the purity and pressure of the gas molecules in the second sealed chamber, thereby further stabilizing the performance of the molecular clock and providing its long-term stability.

[0019] Thirdly, this application provides a gas chamber balancing method. The method is applied to a gas chamber, which includes a first sealed chamber, a second sealed chamber, and a third sealed chamber. The first and second sealed chambers are configured to contain a target gas, and the third sealed chamber contains an intake medium. The second sealed chamber is located within the first sealed chamber. A first micro-leakage module is provided on the second sealed chamber, connecting the first and second sealed chambers. The third sealed chamber is located within the second sealed chamber. A second micro-leakage module is provided on the third sealed chamber, connecting the second and third sealed chambers. The intake medium is used to absorb the target gas within the third sealed chamber. The method includes: obtaining a first leakage rate corresponding to the first micro-leakage module and a second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leakage module; and controlling the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber to the second sealed chamber to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber to the third sealed chamber based on the first and second leakage rates.

[0020] The gas chamber balancing method described above involves setting a first micro-leak module between the first sealed chamber (gas source chamber) and the second sealed chamber (gas chamber), and a second micro-leak module between the second sealed chamber (gas chamber) and the third sealed chamber (getter chamber). The flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the first sealed chamber through the first micro-leak module to the second sealed chamber is controlled to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the second sealed chamber through the second micro-leak module to the third sealed chamber. This ensures that the purity and pressure of the target gas in the second sealed chamber remain essentially constant, achieving a dynamic balance gas-sealed enclosure across the three chambers. This solves the problem of the influence of the target gas precipitated or absorbed by the material in the second sealed chamber on the purity and pressure of the gas molecules in the second sealed chamber, further stabilizing the performance of the molecular clock and providing its long-term stability.

[0021] In an optional embodiment of the third aspect, controlling the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber to the second sealed chamber to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber to the third sealed chamber, based on the first leakage rate and the second leakage rate, includes: calculating the leakage rate ratio of the first leakage rate to the second leakage rate; controlling the amount of target gas filled into the second sealed chamber and the first sealed chamber until the gas pressure ratio of the second sealed chamber and the first sealed chamber is equal to the leakage rate ratio, and then stopping the filling.

[0022] In the above implementation method, this solution controls the amount of target gas filling the second sealed chamber and the first sealed chamber based on the leakage rate ratio, thereby achieving that the gas pressure ratio of the second sealed chamber and the first sealed chamber is equal to the leakage rate ratio, and thus making the flow rate of target gas from the first sealed chamber to the second sealed chamber equal to the flow rate of target gas from the second sealed chamber to the third sealed chamber, thereby improving the purity of the target gas and the stability of the gas pressure in the second sealed chamber.

[0023] Fourthly, the present invention provides an electronic device including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to perform the method described in the third aspect or any optional embodiment of the third aspect.

[0024] Fifthly, the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, performs the method described in the third aspect or any optional embodiment of the third aspect.

[0025] In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides a computer program product, including a computer program / instructions, which, when executed by a processor, perform the method described in the third aspect or any optional embodiment of the third aspect.

[0026] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first structure of the air chamber provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the second structure of the air chamber provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 3 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of the first microleak module and the second microleak module in an embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the third structure of the air chamber provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the molecular clock provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of the air chamber balancing method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0035] Icons: 1-Gas chamber; 2-Molecular clock; 10-First sealed chamber; 20-Second sealed chamber; 210-Limiting groove; 30-Third sealed chamber; 310-Gas intake medium; 40-First microleak module; 410-First opening; 420-Second opening; 430-First microleak channel; 50-Second microleak module; 510-Third opening; 520-Fourth opening; 530-Second microleak channel; 7-Electronic device; 701-Processor; 702-Memory; 703-Communication bus. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0038] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0039] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0040] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0041] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0042] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0044] The molecular clock cell is a key component in high-precision molecular clock products. It is mainly used to contain polar gas molecules, providing space for the interaction between electromagnetic waves and polar gas molecules. The electromagnetic molecular rotation spectrum generated by the quantized rotational energy level transitions of polar gas molecules under the action of electromagnetic fields achieves high-precision timing. The molecular clock uses the peaks of the rotation spectrum of polar gas molecules penetrating the cell with high-frequency electromagnetic waves as a frequency reference. The encapsulation of polar gas molecules in the molecular clock cell is a key process to achieve the performance of the molecular clock product. For example, the performance of the molecular clock is affected by the purity of polar gas molecules, gas pressure, and ambient temperature.

[0045] Traditional clock cell encapsulation solutions mainly involve filling a low-leakage, high-vacuum clock cell with polar gas molecules using a gas filling device. However, the cell will always have the problem of gas escaping or absorbing from the material inside. The gas released or absorbed by the material will affect the gas pressure in the cell environment and the purity of the polar gas, resulting in instability in the accuracy of the molecular clock and its long-term stability being easily affected.

[0046] To address the aforementioned issues, this application designs a gas chamber, a molecular clock, and a gas chamber balancing method. A first microleak module is placed between a first sealed chamber (gas source chamber) and a second sealed chamber (gas chamber), and a second microleak module is placed between the second sealed chamber (gas chamber) and a third sealed chamber (getter chamber). The flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the first sealed chamber through the first microleak module to the second sealed chamber is controlled to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the second sealed chamber through the second microleak module to the third sealed chamber. This ensures that the purity and pressure of the target gas in the second sealed chamber remain essentially constant, achieving a dynamic balance gas-sealed enclosure across the three chambers. This solves the problem of the influence of the target gas precipitated or absorbed by the material in the second sealed chamber on the purity and pressure of the gas molecules in the second sealed chamber, thereby further stabilizing the performance of the molecular clock and providing its long-term stability.

[0047] Based on the above ideas, this application first provides a gas chamber, wherein the gas chamber provided in this application represents a gas chamber encapsulation structure for containing polar gas molecules in a molecular clock. The molecular clock is a precision measurement tool that uses the characteristic rotational spectrum (such as the resonance signal of microwave or radio frequency bands) generated by the quantized rotational energy level transition of polar gas molecules in an electromagnetic field to make time. It combines molecular spectroscopy and quantum technology and has extremely high frequency stability and accuracy.

[0048] The gas chamber encapsulation structure provides space for the interaction between the electromagnetic waves of the molecular clock and the polar gas molecules. The electromagnetic molecular rotation spectrum generated by the quantized rotational energy level transitions of the polar gas molecules under the action of the electromagnetic field thus realizes the high-precision timing function.

[0049] A microleak module is a modular device with extremely small channels (such as micrometer-sized gaps, pores, or defects) through which the target gas in the sealed chamber can slowly and minutely leak.

[0050] Long-term stability refers to the timing accuracy of a molecular clock during long-term use. It is affected by the purity and pressure of the polar gas molecules in the gas chamber encapsulation structure of the molecular clock. When the purity of the polar gas molecules decreases or the pressure changes, the long-term stability of the molecular clock will decrease.

[0051] Specifically, such as Figure 1As shown, the gas chamber designed in this scheme includes a first sealed chamber 10, a second sealed chamber 20, and a third sealed chamber 30. The first sealed chamber 10 and the second sealed chamber 20 contain the target gas, and the third sealed chamber 30 is provided with a gas-absorbing medium 310. The target gas can be a polar gas, which can achieve a high-precision timing function by generating an electromagnetic molecular rotation spectrum through quantized rotational energy level transitions under the action of an electromagnetic field. The gas-absorbing medium 310 can absorb the gas through chemical reaction or physical adsorption, thereby maintaining a vacuum environment, removing impurity gases, or extending the equipment life.

[0052] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 In this design, the second sealing chamber 20 is located inside the first sealing chamber 10, and a first micro-leakage module 40 is provided on the second sealing chamber 20, which connects the first sealing chamber 10 and the second sealing chamber 20. The third sealing chamber 30 is located inside the second sealing chamber 20, and a second micro-leakage module 50 is provided on the third sealing chamber 30, which connects the second sealing chamber 20 and the third sealing chamber 30.

[0053] In the gas chamber structure designed above, the gas pressure of the target gas in the first sealed chamber 10 is greater than the gas pressure of the target gas in the second sealed chamber 20. Therefore, the target gas precipitated in the first sealed chamber 10 can enter the second sealed chamber 20 through the first micro-leak module 40. The gas pressure of the target gas in the second sealed chamber 20 is greater than the gas pressure in the third sealed chamber 30. Therefore, the target gas precipitated in the second sealed chamber can enter the third sealed chamber 30 through the second micro-leak module 50. The gas absorption medium 310 in the third sealed chamber 30 can absorb the target gas entering the third sealed chamber.

[0054] In this design, the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber 10 to the second sealed chamber 20 through the first micro-leak module 40 is equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber 20 to the third sealed chamber 30 through the second micro-leak module 50. This ensures that the purity and pressure of the target gas in the second sealed chamber 20 remain essentially constant, achieving a dynamic balance gas-sealing device for the three chambers, thereby further stabilizing the performance of the molecular clock and providing its long-term stability.

[0055] The gas chamber design described above utilizes a first micro-leakage module between the first sealed chamber (gas source chamber) and the second sealed chamber (gas chamber), and a second micro-leakage module between the second sealed chamber (gas chamber) and the third sealed chamber (getter chamber). The flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the first sealed chamber through the first micro-leakage module to the second sealed chamber is controlled to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the second sealed chamber through the second micro-leakage module to the third sealed chamber. This ensures that the purity and pressure of the target gas in the second sealed chamber remain essentially constant, achieving a dynamic balance gas-sealing device across the three chambers. This solves the problem of the impact of the target gas precipitated or absorbed by the material in the second sealed chamber on the purity and pressure of the gas molecules in the second sealed chamber, further stabilizing the performance of the molecular clock and providing its long-term stability.

[0056] In an optional embodiment of this example, the solution can adjust the gas pressure of the target gas in the first sealed chamber 10 and the second sealed chamber 20 based on the first leakage rate corresponding to the first micro-leak module 40 and the second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leak module 50, so as to achieve that the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber 10 to the second sealed chamber 20 through the first micro-leak module 40 is equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber 20 to the third sealed chamber 30 through the second micro-leak module 50.

[0057] Specifically, this solution can be designed such that the ratio of the air pressure in the second sealed chamber 20 to the air pressure in the first sealed chamber 10 is equal to the target leakage rate ratio, wherein the target leakage rate ratio is the ratio of the first leakage rate of the first micro-leakage module 40 to the second leakage rate of the second micro-leakage module 50.

[0058] The above process can be derived as follows:

[0059] The leakage rate (as mentioned above) is defined as: gas volume The total differential with respect to time t, i.e.:

[0060] ;

[0061] If the system volume remains constant during the measurement, the leak rate simplifies to: ,Right now:

[0062] ;

[0063] Where Q is the leakage rate, P is the gas pressure, and V is the volume.

[0064] Since the flow rate Q1 of the target gas from the first sealed chamber 10 to the second sealed chamber 20 through the first micro-leak module 40 is equal to the flow rate Q2 of the target gas from the second sealed chamber 20 to the third sealed chamber 30 through the second micro-leak module 50, that is:

[0065] Q1 = Q2;

[0066] Wherein, Q1 is the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber 10 to the second sealed chamber 20 through the first micro-leak module 40, and Q2 is the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber 20 to the third sealed chamber 30 through the second micro-leak module 50.

[0067] ;

[0068] ;

[0069] in, The air pressure in the first sealed chamber. The air pressure in the second sealed chamber. The pressure is 101325 Pa (atmospheres). This is the standard air leakage rate of the second sealed chamber, which is the first leakage rate corresponding to the first micro-leakage module 40. This is the standard air leakage rate of the third sealed chamber, i.e., the second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leakage module 50. Because... Therefore, it can be approximated that:

[0070] ;

[0071] Therefore, it can be concluded that the ratio of the standard air leakage rate of the second sealed chamber to the standard air leakage rate of the third sealed chamber is equal to the ratio of the air pressure of the second sealed chamber to the air pressure of the first sealed chamber. That is, the ratio of the first leakage rate to the second leakage rate is equal to the ratio of the air pressure of the second sealed chamber to the air pressure of the first sealed chamber. This means that the flow rate Q1 of the target gas from the first sealed chamber 10 to the second sealed chamber 20 through the first micro-leak module 40 is equal to the flow rate Q2 of the target gas from the second sealed chamber 20 to the third sealed chamber 30 through the second micro-leak module 50, thereby achieving a dynamic balance gas-tight device for the three chambers.

[0072] Based on the above derivation, since the leakage rates corresponding to the first micro-leak module 40 and the second micro-leak module can be determined after the micro-leak module is manufactured, this solution can adjust the gas pressure ratio of the target gas filling the first sealed chamber 10 and the second sealed chamber 20 according to the ratio of the first leakage rate corresponding to the first micro-leak module 40 and the second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leak module 50. This makes the gas pressure ratio of the target gas filling the first sealed chamber 10 and the second sealed chamber 20 approach the leakage rate ratio of the first leakage rate to the second leakage rate. Thus, the flow rate Q1 of the target gas flowing from the first sealed chamber 10 to the second sealed chamber 20 through the first micro-leak module 40 is equal to the flow rate Q2 of the target gas flowing from the second sealed chamber 20 to the third sealed chamber 30 through the second micro-leak module 50.

[0073] In an optional embodiment of this example, as one possible implementation, the first microleakage module 40 and the second microleakage module 50 designed in this scheme can be controlled by using porous co-fired ceramic sintering (or glass insulator sintering) to achieve the required leakage rate.

[0074] In an optional implementation of this embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the first microleak module 40 designed in this scheme may include a first opening 410, a second opening 420, and multiple first microleak channels 430 connecting the first opening 410 and the second opening 420, wherein the first opening 410 is located in the first sealing chamber 10, and the second opening 420 is located in the second sealing chamber 20.

[0075] Similarly, the second microleak module 50 designed in this scheme may include a third opening 510, a fourth opening 520, and multiple second microleak channels 530 connecting the third opening 510 and the fourth opening 520, wherein the third opening 510 is located in the second sealing chamber 20, and the fourth opening 520 is located in the third sealing chamber 30.

[0076] In the first microleak module 40 designed above, the target gas precipitated in the first sealed chamber 10 can enter multiple first microleak channels 430 through the first opening 410, and then slowly and in minute amounts leak through the multiple first microleak channels 430 to the second opening 420, thereby flowing into the second sealed chamber 20. Similarly, in the second microleak module 50, the target gas precipitated in the second sealed chamber 20 can enter multiple second microleak channels 530 through the third opening 510, and then slowly and in minute amounts leak through the multiple second microleak channels 530 to the fourth opening 520, thereby flowing into the third sealed chamber 30.

[0077] As a specific implementation, the first micro-drain module 40 and the second micro-drain module 50 of this solution can be integrally formed. Specifically, the first micro-drain module 40 and the second micro-drain module 50 of this solution are formed by bonding a first silicon wafer Si1 and a second silicon wafer Si2. The first opening 410 and the fourth opening 520 are formed on the first silicon wafer Si1, the second opening 420 and the third opening 510 are formed on the second silicon wafer Si2, the first micro-drain channel 430 and the second micro-drain channel 530 are formed between the first silicon wafer Si1 and the second silicon wafer Si2, and the first silicon wafer Si1 and the second silicon wafer Si2 can be bonded together by gold-gold hot-press bonding.

[0078] Specifically, the fabrication method of the integrally formed first microdrain module 40 and second microdrain module 50 of the above design is as follows: First, photoresist is applied to the first silicon wafer Si1. After photolithography, the positions of the first microdrain channel 430, the second microdrain channel 530, the first opening 410, the second opening 420, the third opening 510, and the fourth opening 520 are left, while the remaining areas are protected by photoresist. Then, the first microdrain channel 430 and the second microdrain channel 530, as well as the first opening 410, the second opening 420, the third opening 510, and the fourth opening 520 are etched to the required depth of the microdrain channel using dry etching, and the photoresist is removed. Then, photoresist is reapplied to the first silicon wafer Si1. After photolithography, the positions of the first opening 410 and the fourth opening 520 are left, while the remaining areas are protected by photoresist. The first opening 410 and the fourth opening 520 are etched through using dry etching, and the photoresist is removed. Photoresist is then applied to the silicon wafer Si2. After photolithography, positions for the second opening 420 and the third opening 510 are left. The second opening 420 and the third opening 510 are etched using dry etching until they are etched through, and the photoresist is removed. The first silicon wafer Si1 and the second silicon wafer Si2 are sputtered with a thickness of 50nm titanium tungsten on their front and back sides using magnetron sputtering, and then gold with a thickness of 3um is electroplated. Finally, after sputtering is completed, the first opening 410 and the fourth opening 520 in the first silicon wafer Si1 and the second silicon wafer Si2 are aligned and then bonded together by gold-gold thermocompression bonding.

[0079] In the above-described implementation, this solution constructs the micro-drain channel structure of the micro-drain module using photolithography and multilayer bonding technology on silicon wafers. This allows for precise control of the leakage rate of the micro-drain module, achieving nanometer-level accuracy. Simultaneously, silicon exhibits excellent chemical inertness to most gases (such as air, nitrogen, oxygen, and inert gases) at room temperature, making it less prone to reaction with gases and ensuring long-term stability of the leakage rate.

[0080] In an optional embodiment of this example, based on the first microdrain module 40 and the second microdrain module 50 designed above, the first leakage rate of the first microdrain module 40 is related to the number of channels and the channel width of the first microdrain channel 430, and the second leakage rate of the second microdrain module 50 is related to the number of channels and the channel width of the second microdrain channel 530. Thus, the number of channels and the channel width of the microdrain channel can be accurately adjusted based on the photolithography and bonding technology of the silicon wafer, thereby achieving precise control of the leakage rate of the microdrain module.

[0081] In an optional embodiment of this scheme, as described above, a getter medium is provided in the third sealed chamber 30. As one possible implementation, the getter medium designed in this scheme can be any one of the following: a dissipable getter, a non-dissipable getter, or a composite getter. All three types of getters require high-temperature activation in a vacuum environment below 1E-2Pa. Preferably, the getter medium designed in this scheme can be a non-dissipable getter, whose getter mechanism is mainly surface adsorption and internal diffusion, thereby improving the purity of the vacuum in the third sealed chamber and thus improving the purity of the target gas in the entire chamber.

[0082] In an optional implementation of this embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the third sealing chamber 30 can be disposed within the second sealing chamber 20. In this design, the second sealing chamber 20 can be provided with a limiting groove 210, and the third sealing chamber 30 is disposed within the limiting groove 210.

[0083] Specifically, the gas chamber described above can be encapsulated in the following manner: First, the getter medium 310 is placed into the third sealed chamber 30, and then the third sealed chamber 30 is vacuum-sealed. The getter medium 310 is activated at high temperature. A second microleak module 50 is sintered onto the cover plate of the third sealed chamber 30. Then, the activated third sealed chamber 30 is welded into the limiting groove 210 of the second sealed chamber 20. Finally, the second sealed chamber 20 is sealed and evacuated. A first microleak module 40 is sintered onto the cover plate of the second sealed chamber 20. After filling the second sealed chamber 20 with polar gas molecules of a first target pressure using a specific inflation device, the chamber is sealed. The sealed second sealed chamber 20 is then welded to the first sealed chamber 10. The first sealed chamber 10 is then evacuated, and the first sealed chamber 10 is filled with polar gas molecules of a second target pressure using a specific inflation device, and then sealed again. This completes the encapsulation of the gas chamber. The ratio of the first target pressure to the second target pressure is equal to the ratio of the first leakage rate corresponding to the first micro-leakage module 40 to the second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leakage module 50.

[0084] In an optional implementation of this embodiment, the design is verified through the following simulation calculation process: specifically, assuming the standard air leakage rate (the second leakage rate of the second micro-leakage module) provided by the third sealed chamber is: The vacuum pressure provided by the third sealed chamber is The standard air leakage rate of the second sealed chamber is The volume of the second sealed chamber is The volume of the first sealed chamber is ,at this time:

[0085] ;

[0086] The molecular clock operates normally when the purity of the polar gas molecules in the second sealed chamber exceeds 50%.

[0087] Assuming the air pressure in the air chamber is 25 Pa, then the air pressure in the gas source chamber is 10000 Pa.

[0088] When t=3.85E8 s, the total gas pressure in the second sealed chamber is 46.075 Pa, of which the pressure of polar gas molecules accounts for 23.15 Pa, the pressure of impurity gases accounts for 22.925 Pa, and the total amount of gas absorbed by the getter is 5.4 Pa·L.

[0089] Provided that the getter can meet the intake volume, the hermetic sealing life of the three-chamber dynamic balance scheme under this condition is t=3.85E8 s (12.2 years).

[0090] For a lifespan of over 12 years, an ideal configuration would have the first leakage rate of the first microleak module controlled at 1E-10 Pa·m. 3 / s, the second leakage rate corresponding to the second microleak module is 4E-8Pa.m 3 / s, the total getter volume needs to be greater than 5.4 Pa·L. This shows that controlling the pressure ratio of the second sealed chamber to the first sealed chamber to be roughly equivalent to the ratio of the first leakage rate to the second leakage rate can significantly improve the molecular clock's lifetime. Here, 4E-8 Pa·m³ / s represents the product of the volume and pressure of the gas leaking through the leak per second under standard conditions (typically room temperature and one atmosphere), which is 4 × 10⁻⁸ Pa·m³ / s. −8 Pa·m; 1E-10 Pa·m 3 / s represents the product of the volume and pressure of gas leaking through the leak per second under standard conditions (typically room temperature and one atmosphere), which is 1 × 10⁻⁶. −10 Pa·cubic meter.

[0091] Of course, the first leakage rate of the first microleakage module designed in this scheme is 1E-10 Pa.m 3 Besides / s, it can also be other leakage rate values. Similarly, the second leakage rate corresponding to the second microleak module is 4E-8Pa.m. 3 Besides / s, other leakage rate values ​​are also possible. The specific leakage rate value can be adaptively adjusted according to the actual application requirements. The first leakage rate of the first micro-leakage module can be in the range of [1E-9Pa.m]. 3 / s~1E-13Pa.m 3 The second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leakage module can be within the range of [1E-7Pa.m] / s. 3 / s~1E-11Pa.m 3The range is defined as follows: The ratio of the first leakage rate of the first micro-leakage module to the corresponding second leakage rate of the second micro-leakage module must be equal to the ratio of the air pressure in the second sealed chamber to the air pressure in the first sealed chamber.

[0092] This application also provides a molecular clock, such as Figure 5 As shown, the molecular clock 2 includes the gas chamber 1 of any of the alternative embodiments described above.

[0093] This application also provides a method for balancing air chambers, which is applied to the air chambers described in any of the optional embodiments above, such as... Figure 6 As shown, this air chamber balancing method can be achieved in the following ways:

[0094] Step S600: Obtain the first leakage rate corresponding to the first micro-leakage module and the second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leakage module.

[0095] Step S610: Based on the first leakage rate and the second leakage rate, control the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber to the second sealed chamber to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber to the third sealed chamber.

[0096] In the above implementation, as described above, the leakage rate of the micro-leak module can be determined when the micro-leak module is manufactured. Therefore, the first leakage rate corresponding to the first micro-leak module and the second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leak module can be obtained through the manufacturer's parameters. Knowing the first leakage rate corresponding to the first micro-leak module and the second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leak module, this solution can control the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealing chamber to the second sealing chamber to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealing chamber to the third sealing chamber based on the first leakage rate and the second leakage rate.

[0097] Specifically, as one possible implementation, this solution first calculates the leakage rate ratio of a first leakage rate to a second leakage rate; then, while sealing the gas chamber, it controls the target gas filling amount between the second and first sealed chambers until the gas pressure ratio between the second and first sealed chambers equals the leakage rate ratio, at which point filling is stopped. The target gas can be filled using a dedicated polar gas filling device, and the target gas filling amount between the second and first sealed chambers can be detected using a gas pressure detection device. Filling is stopped when the gas pressure ratio between the second and first sealed chambers equals the leakage rate ratio, thus achieving a gas pressure ratio between the second and first sealed chambers equal to the leakage rate ratio, and consequently ensuring that the target gas flow rate from the first sealed chamber to the second sealed chamber is equal to the target gas flow rate from the second sealed chamber to the third sealed chamber.

[0098] The gas chamber balancing method described above involves setting a first micro-leak module between the first sealed chamber (gas source chamber) and the second sealed chamber (gas chamber), and a second micro-leak module between the second sealed chamber (gas chamber) and the third sealed chamber (getter chamber). The flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the first sealed chamber through the first micro-leak module to the second sealed chamber is controlled to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas precipitated in the second sealed chamber through the second micro-leak module to the third sealed chamber. This ensures that the purity and pressure of the target gas in the second sealed chamber remain essentially constant, achieving a dynamic balance gas-sealed enclosure across the three chambers. This solves the problem of the influence of the target gas precipitated or absorbed by the material in the second sealed chamber on the purity and pressure of the gas molecules in the second sealed chamber, further stabilizing the performance of the molecular clock and providing its long-term stability.

[0099] This application also provides a gas chamber encapsulation method, which is applied to the gas chamber described above. The gas chamber encapsulation method includes: first, placing a getter medium into a third sealed chamber; then, vacuum sealing the third sealed chamber; activating the getter medium at high temperature; wherein a second microleak module is sintered onto the cover plate of the third sealed chamber; then, welding the activated third sealed chamber into the limiting groove of the second sealed chamber; and then sealing and evacuating the second sealed chamber; wherein a first microleak is sintered onto the cover plate of the second sealed chamber. The module is sealed after being filled with polar gas molecules of a first target pressure into the second sealed chamber through a specific inflation device. The sealed second sealed chamber is then welded to the first sealed chamber. The first sealed chamber is then evacuated and filled with polar gas molecules of a second target pressure into the first sealed chamber through the same inflation device, and then sealed again. This completes the encapsulation of the gas chamber. The ratio of the first target pressure to the second target pressure is equal to the ratio of the first leakage rate corresponding to the first micro-leakage module to the second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leakage module.

[0100] According to some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 7 As shown, this application provides an electronic device 7, including: a processor 701 and a memory 702. The processor 701 and the memory 702 are interconnected and communicate with each other through a communication bus 703 and / or other forms of connection mechanism (not shown). The memory 702 stores a computer program executable by the processor 701. When the computing device is running, the processor 701 executes the computer program to perform any optional implementation method, such as steps S600 to S610: obtaining a first leakage rate corresponding to a first microleak module and a second leakage rate corresponding to a second microleak module; and controlling the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber to the second sealed chamber to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber to the third sealed chamber based on the first leakage rate and the second leakage rate.

[0101] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, performs the method in any of the aforementioned optional implementations.

[0102] The storage medium can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), Programmable Red-Only Memory (PROM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0103] This application provides a computer program product that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform a method in any of the optional implementations.

[0104] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A gas chamber, characterized in that, The gas chamber is used in a molecular clock, and the gas chamber includes: a first sealed chamber, a second sealed chamber, and a third sealed chamber; wherein the first and second sealed chambers are configured to contain the target gas, and the third sealed chamber contains an intake medium; The second sealing chamber is disposed within the first sealing chamber; a first micro-leakage module is disposed on the second sealing chamber, and the first micro-leakage module connects the first sealing chamber and the second sealing chamber; The third sealed chamber is disposed within the second sealed chamber; a second micro-leakage module is disposed on the third sealed chamber, the second micro-leakage module connecting the second sealed chamber and the third sealed chamber; wherein, the gas absorption medium is used to absorb the target gas within the third sealed chamber; Wherein, the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber to the second sealed chamber is equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber to the third sealed chamber; Wherein, the ratio of the air pressure in the second sealed chamber to the air pressure in the first sealed chamber is equal to the target leakage rate ratio; the target leakage rate ratio is the ratio of the first leakage rate of the first micro-leakage module to the second leakage rate of the second micro-leakage module.

2. The air chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first microleak module includes a first opening, a second opening, and multiple first microleak channels connecting the first opening and the second opening; wherein, the first opening is located in the first sealed chamber, and the second opening is located in the second sealed chamber; The second microleak module includes a third opening, a fourth opening, and multiple second microleak channels connecting the third opening and the fourth opening; wherein the third opening is located inside the second sealing chamber, and the fourth opening is located inside the third sealing chamber.

3. The air chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first micro-drain module and the second micro-drain module are formed by bonding a first silicon wafer and a second silicon wafer; The first opening and the fourth opening are formed on the first silicon wafer, the second opening and the third opening are formed on the second silicon wafer, and the first micro-drain channel and the second micro-drain channel are formed between the first silicon wafer and the second silicon wafer.

4. The air chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first leakage rate of the first microleak module is related to the number of channels, channel width, depth and length of the first microleak channel, and the second leakage rate of the second microleak module is related to the number of channels, channel width, depth and length of the second microleak channel.

5. The air chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The getter medium is any one of evaporative getter, non-evaporative getter, or composite getter.

6. The air chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second sealing chamber is provided with a limiting groove, and the third sealing chamber is disposed within the limiting groove.

7. A molecular clock, characterized in that, The molecular clock comprises the gas cell according to any one of claims 1-6.

8. A method for balancing air chambers, characterized in that, The method is applied to the gas chamber balancing of a molecular clock. The gas chamber includes a first sealed chamber, a second sealed chamber, and a third sealed chamber. The first and second sealed chambers are configured to contain a target gas, and the third sealed chamber contains an getter medium. The second sealed chamber is located within the first sealed chamber. A first microleak module is provided on the second sealed chamber, connecting the first and second sealed chambers. The third sealed chamber is located within the second sealed chamber. A second microleak module is provided on the third sealed chamber, connecting the second and third sealed chambers. The getter medium is used to absorb the target gas within the third sealed chamber. The method includes: Obtain the first leakage rate corresponding to the first micro-leakage module and the second leakage rate corresponding to the second micro-leakage module; Based on the first leakage rate and the second leakage rate, the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber to the second sealed chamber is controlled to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber to the third sealed chamber. The step of controlling the flow rate of the target gas from the first sealed chamber to the second sealed chamber to be equal to the flow rate of the target gas from the second sealed chamber to the third sealed chamber based on the first leakage rate and the second leakage rate includes: Calculate the ratio of the first leakage rate to the second leakage rate; Control the target gas filling amount between the second sealed chamber and the first sealed chamber until the gas pressure ratio between the second sealed chamber and the first sealed chamber is equal to the leakage rate ratio, then stop filling.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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    CN120274952A