[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 102 (Friday, May 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30384-30385]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8154]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Jointly Owned Inventions Available for Non-Exclusive, Royalty-
Free Licensing

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Jointly Owned Inventions Available for Non-Exclusive, 
Royalty-Free Licensing.

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SUMMARY: The inventions listed below are jointly owned by the U.S. 
Government, as represented by the Department of Commerce, and the 
University of Colorado. The Department of Commerce's interest in the 
inventions is available for non-exclusive, royalty-free licensing, in 
accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 and 37 CFR part 404 to achieve 
expeditious commercialization of results of federally funded research 
and development.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Technical and licensing information on 
these inventions may be obtained by writing to: National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, Office of Technology Partnerships, Attn: Mary 
Clague, Building 820, Room 213, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. Information is 
also available via telephone: 301-975-4188, fax 301-869-2751, or e-
mail: [email protected]. Any request for information should include 
the NIST Docket number or Patent number and title for the invention as 
indicated below.
    The inventions available for licensing are:

[Patent Number 6,831,522 Issued: 12/14/2004]

    Title: Method of Minimizing the Short-Term Frequency Instability of 
Laser-Pumped Atomic Clocks.
    Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing the performance of 
laser-pumped atomic frequency references with respect to the laser 
detuning and other operating parameters. This method is based on the 
new understanding that the frequency references short-term instability 
is minimized when (a) the laser frequency is tuned nominally a few tens 
of MHz away from the center of the atomic absorption line, and (b) the 
external oscillator lock modulation frequency is set either far below 
or far above the inverse of the optical pumping time of the atoms.

[Patent Number: 6,806,784 Issued: 10/19/2004]

    Title: Miniature Frequency Standard Based on All-Optical Excitation 
and a Micromachined Containment Vessel.

[[Page 30385]]

    Abstract: A microwave frequency standard is provided which allows 
for miniaturization down to length scales of order one micron, 
comprising a modulated light field originating from a laser that 
illuminates a collection of quantum absorbers contained in a micro-
machined cell. The frequency standard of the present invention can be 
based on all-optical excitation techniques such as coherent population 
trapping (CPT) and stimulated Raman scattering or on conventional 
microwave-excited designs. In a CPT-based embodiment, a photodetector 
detects a change in transmitted power through the cell and that is used 
to stabilize an external oscillator to correspond to the absorber's 
transition frequency by locking the laser modulation frequency to the 
transition frequency. In a stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) 
embodiment, a high-speed photodetector detects a laser field 
transmitted through the cell beating with a second field originating in 
the cell. Both the locked laser modulation frequency and the beat 
frequency are very stable as they are referenced directly to the atomic 
transition.

    Dated: May 18, 2006.
Hratch G. Semerjian,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E6-8154 Filed 5-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P