CN120033048B - Ionization source device and hydrogen atomic clock - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of ionization technology, and discloses an ionization source device and a hydrogen atomic clock. The ionization source device comprises an ionization bubble, a resonant cavity component and a magnetic field generator. An input port and an output port are arranged on the ionization bubble. The resonant cavity component comprises a resonant cavity body, a flange cover and a microwave introduction member, wherein the microwave introduction member is arranged on the flange cover, the flange cover is arranged on the resonant cavity body to form a resonant cavity, the ionization bubble is located in the resonant cavity and abuts the flange cover, the microwave introduction member is inserted in the resonant cavity and is located in or outside the ionization bubble, and the microwave introduction member is used to introduce microwaves into the resonant cavity or the ionization bubble. The magnetic field generator is arranged outside the resonant cavity, and the magnetic field generator is used to generate a magnetic field to work together with the microwave to ionize the hydrogen in the ionization bubble into hydrogen plasma. The ionization source device simplifies the structure of the resonant cavity component and the ionization bubble, so as to reduce the structural assembly complexity of the ionization source device, reduce the energy coupling loss, and improve the preparation efficiency of hydrogen atoms.

Description

Ionization source device and hydrogen atomic clock

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen ionization, and in particular to an ionization source device and a hydrogen atomic clock.

Background Art

At present, the effective preparation of hydrogen atoms in hydrogen atomic clocks is limited to radio frequency capacitive coupling or capacitive coupled discharge, where radio frequency power is coupled to the source from the outside through two electrodes or a coil. When hydrogen is introduced into the ionization bubble and the ionization source device is turned on, the electrons already in the source oscillate in the radio frequency field. During the oscillation process, electrons collide with hydrogen molecules to produce atoms, ions and other electrons, and new electrons participate in the collision in turn, thereby maintaining plasma discharge. Traditional ionization source devices are usually of separate design, that is, the quartz ionization bubble and the radio frequency microwave source cavity are assembled separately, which leads to complex assembly of the ionization source device and large energy coupling loss, affecting the efficiency of hydrogen atom preparation.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for an ionization source device and a hydrogen atomic clock to solve the above problems.

Summary of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide an ionization source device that can simplify the assembly structure complexity of the ionization source device, which not only helps to achieve a miniaturized design of the ionization source device, but also can reduce energy coupling losses and improve the preparation efficiency of hydrogen atoms.

As conceived above, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

An ionization source device is provided, comprising:

An ionization bubble, wherein an input port and an output port are arranged on the ionization bubble, wherein the input port is used to input hydrogen into the ionization bubble, and the output port is used to output the hydrogen plasma in the ionization bubble;

A resonant cavity assembly, comprising a resonant cavity body, a flange cover and a microwave introduction member, wherein the microwave introduction member is arranged on the flange cover, the flange cover is arranged on the resonant cavity body to form a resonant cavity, the ionization bubble is located in the resonant cavity and abuts against the flange cover, the microwave introduction member is inserted in the resonant cavity and located in or outside the ionization bubble, and the microwave introduction member is used to introduce microwaves into the resonant cavity or the ionization bubble;

A magnetic field generating component is arranged outside the resonant cavity, and is used for generating a magnetic field to cooperate with the microwave to ionize the hydrogen in the ionization bubble into hydrogen plasma.

Optionally, the outer wall of the ionization bubble has a recessed insertion groove, the insertion groove extends along the thickness direction of the flange cover, and the magnetron of the microwave introduction component is inserted into the insertion groove and is located outside the ionization bubble.

Optionally, at least two insertion slots are provided, the magnetron includes a positive pole and a negative pole, the positive pole is insulated and connected to the flange cover, the positive pole is inserted in one of the insertion slots, and the negative pole is inserted in another of the insertion slots.

Optionally, the resonant cavity assembly further comprises a base, the resonant cavity body is detachably connected to the base, the ionization bubble is clamped between the resonant cavity body and the base, an inlet and an outlet are arranged on the base, the inlet is communicated with the input port, and the outlet is communicated with the output port;

The resonant cavity assembly further includes a first sealing ring and a second sealing ring. The base is pressed against the first sealing ring and is arranged around the outer periphery of the input port. The base is pressed against the second sealing ring and is arranged around the outer periphery of the output port.

Optionally, the resonant cavity and the flange cover are sealed and connected, the inner wall of the resonant cavity and the inner wall of the flange cover are both provided with a polytetrafluoroethylene coating to form the ionization bubble, and the microwave introduction component is inserted into the resonant cavity and located in the ionization bubble.

Optionally, the resonant cavity assembly further includes a third sealing ring, the resonant cavity body has an opening, a step surface is arranged at the opening, the flange cover is arranged on the step surface, and the third sealing ring is clamped between the step surface and the flange cover.

Optionally, the resonant cavity assembly further includes a base, the base is integrally provided with the resonant cavity body, and the input port and the output port are provided on the base.

Optionally, the magnetic field generating element is an annular permanent magnet, and the annular permanent magnet is sleeved on the outer circumference of the resonance cavity.

Optionally, the intensity of the magnetic field is 875 Gs, and the frequency of the microwave is 2.45 GHz.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen atomic clock, which has an ionization source device with a highly simplified assembly structure, which helps to achieve a miniaturized design of the ionization source device, and can also reduce energy coupling losses and improve the preparation efficiency of hydrogen atoms.

As conceived above, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

Provided is a hydrogen atomic clock, comprising the above-mentioned ionization source device.

The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

The ionization source device proposed by the present invention comprises an ionization bubble, a resonant cavity assembly and a magnetic field generating part. An input port and an output port are arranged on the ionization bubble, the input port is used to input hydrogen into the ionization bubble, and the output port is used to output hydrogen plasma in the ionization bubble. The resonant cavity assembly comprises a resonant cavity body, a flange cover and a microwave introducing part, the microwave introducing part is arranged on the flange cover, the flange cover is arranged on the resonant cavity body to form a resonant cavity, the ionization bubble is located in the resonant cavity and abuts the flange cover, the microwave introducing part is inserted in the resonant cavity and is located in or outside the ionization bubble, and the microwave introducing part is used to introduce microwaves into the resonant cavity or the ionization bubble. The magnetic field generating part is arranged outside the resonant cavity, and the magnetic field generating part is used to generate a magnetic field, and the magnetic field and the microwave work together to ionize the hydrogen in the ionization bubble into hydrogen plasma. The ionization source device enables the electrons in the ionization bubble to obtain initial energy through the magnetic field of the magnetic field generating part, and further utilizes the microwave magnetic field to enhance the electron cyclotron resonance, so that the electrons in the ionization bubble continuously absorb microwave energy, thereby enabling the hydrogen input into the ionization bubble to be ionized into hydrogen plasma, thereby improving the ionization efficiency of hydrogen. The ionization source device simplifies the structure of the resonant cavity component and the ionization bubble, thereby reducing the complexity of the structural assembly of the ionization source device, helping to realize the miniaturized design of the ionization source device, and can also reduce energy coupling loss and improve the preparation efficiency of hydrogen atoms.

The hydrogen atomic clock proposed by the present invention includes the above-mentioned ionization source device. As one of the key components of the hydrogen atomic clock, the ionization source device can ionize hydrogen molecules into hydrogen atoms to provide the necessary hydrogen atoms for the normal operation of the hydrogen atomic clock. The ionization source device assembly structure of the hydrogen atomic clock is highly simplified, which helps to realize the miniaturization design of the ionization source device, and can also reduce energy coupling loss and improve the preparation efficiency of hydrogen atoms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an ionization source device provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of another ionization source device provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

In the figure:

1. Ionization bubble; 11. Input port; 12. Output port; 13. Insertion slot;

2. Resonant cavity assembly; 21. Resonant cavity body; 22. Flange cover; 221. Insulating layer; 23. Base; 231. Inlet; 232. Outlet; 24. Microwave introduction member; 25. Coating; 26. First sealing ring; 27. Second sealing ring; 28. Third sealing ring;

3. Magnetic field generating component; 4. SMA interface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to make the technical problems solved by the present invention, the technical solutions adopted and the technical effects achieved clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention are further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and through specific implementation methods. It is understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for the convenience of description, only the parts related to the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, not all.

In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and other directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operate in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish in the description and have no special meaning.

The technical solution of the present invention is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific implementation methods.

The present embodiment provides an ionization source device, including an ionization bubble 1, a resonant cavity assembly 2, and a magnetic field generator 3. An input port 11 and an output port 12 are provided on the ionization bubble 1. The input port 11 is used to input hydrogen into the ionization bubble 1, and the output port 12 is used to output the hydrogen plasma in the ionization bubble 1. The resonant cavity assembly 2 includes a resonant cavity 21, a flange cover 22, and a microwave introduction member 24. The microwave introduction member 24 is provided on the flange cover 22. The flange cover 22 is provided on the resonant cavity 21 to form a resonant cavity. The ionization bubble 1 is located in the resonant cavity and abuts the flange cover 22. The microwave introduction member 24 is inserted in the resonant cavity and located in the ionization bubble 1 or outside the ionization bubble 1. The microwave introduction member 24 is used to introduce microwaves into the resonant cavity or the ionization bubble 1. The magnetic field generator 3 is provided outside the resonant cavity 21. The magnetic field generator 3 is used to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field and the microwave work together to ionize the hydrogen in the ionization bubble 1 into hydrogen plasma. The ionization source device enables the electrons in the ionization bubble 1 to obtain initial energy through the magnetic field of the magnetic field generating element 3, and further utilizes the microwave magnetic field to enhance the electron cyclotron resonance, so that the electrons in the ionization bubble 1 continuously absorb microwave energy, thereby enabling the hydrogen gas input into the ionization bubble 1 to be ionized into hydrogen plasma, thereby improving the ionization efficiency of the hydrogen gas. The ionization source device simplifies the structure of the resonant cavity component 2 and the ionization bubble 1, thereby reducing the complexity of the structural assembly of the ionization source device, helping to realize the miniaturized design of the ionization source device, and can also reduce energy coupling loss and improve the preparation efficiency of hydrogen atoms.

Embodiment 1

As shown in FIG1 , the specific structure of the ionization source device provided in this embodiment is that the outer wall of the ionization bubble 1 has a recessed insertion groove 13, the insertion groove 13 extends along the thickness direction of the flange cover 22, and the magnetron of the microwave introduction member 24 is inserted in the insertion groove 13 and is located outside the ionization bubble 1. In this embodiment, the insertion groove 13 is arranged to be recessed toward the inner cavity of the ionization bubble 1, so that the center of the ionization bubble 1 can form a space for accommodating the magnetron, and the flange cover 22 can also abut against the top of the ionization bubble 1, so as to reduce the space for accommodating the ionization bubble 1 and the magnetron in the resonant cavity, so as to realize the miniaturization of the ionization source device.

Optionally, at least two insertion slots 13 are provided, and the magnetron includes a positive pole and a negative pole, the positive pole is insulated and connected to the flange cover 22, the positive pole is inserted in one insertion slot 13, and the negative pole is inserted in another insertion slot 13. In specific implementation, at least two through mounting holes are provided on the flange cover 22, the positive pole is inserted into one mounting hole, and an insulating layer 221 is provided between the positive pole and the inner wall of the mounting hole to ensure that the positive pole is insulated and connected to the flange cover 22, and the negative pole is inserted into another mounting hole, and the negative pole is non-insulated and connected to the flange cover 22. In specific implementation, an SMA interface 4 is also provided on the flange cover 22, and the magnetron is connected to the SMA interface 4. The SMA interface 4 is widely used for coaxial connection in the RF and microwave fields, and has the characteristics of small size, stable performance, wide frequency range, etc., and is suitable for transmission of RF signals.

In other embodiments, the positive electrode and the negative electrode may be located in the same insertion slot 13, and there is a certain distance between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and the distance between the positive electrode and the negative electrode provides necessary space for the movement of electrons.

Optionally, the resonant cavity assembly 2 further includes a base 23, the resonant cavity 21 and the base 23 are detachably connected, the ionization bubble 1 is sandwiched between the resonant cavity 21 and the base 23, an inlet 231 and an outlet 232 are arranged on the base 23, the inlet 231 is connected to the input port 11, and the outlet 232 is connected to the output port 12. The resonant cavity assembly 2 further includes a first sealing ring 26 and a second sealing ring 27, the base 23 presses the first sealing ring 26 and is arranged around the periphery of the input port 11, and the base 23 presses the second sealing ring 27 and is arranged around the periphery of the output port 12. In a specific implementation, the opening at the upper end of the resonant cavity 21 is connected to the flange cover 22, and the lower end of the resonant cavity 21 is connected to the base 23, so that the ionization bubble 1 can be fixed in the middle. The resonant cavity 21 includes a resonant cavity body and a first convex ring arranged on the outer periphery of the resonant cavity body, and the ionization bubble 1 includes an ionization bubble body and a second convex ring arranged on the outer periphery of the ionization bubble body, the first convex ring is connected to the base 23 by a fastener, and the second convex ring is clamped between the first convex ring and the base 23, so as to achieve the fixation of the ionization bubble 1 by the resonant cavity assembly 2. Both the resonant cavity 21 and the base 23 are aluminum alloy structures, and the clamping force applied to the second convex ring when the two are connected is too large, which may easily cause damage to the ionization bubble 1, while the clamping force applied to the second convex ring when the two are connected is too small, which may easily cause a gap between the ionization bubble 1 and the base 23. Therefore, a first sealing ring 26 is arranged around the periphery of the input port 11, and a second sealing ring 27 is arranged around the periphery of the output port 12. The input port 11 and the inlet 231 are coaxially arranged in the vertical direction, and the output port 12 and the outlet 232 are coaxially arranged in the vertical direction. The second sealing ring 27 is sleeved on the periphery of the first sealing ring 26. After the base 23 is fastened to the resonance cavity 21, the first sealing ring 26 will be squeezed and fixed by the base 23 on the periphery of the input port 11 and the inlet 231 to ensure that the input port 11 and the inlet 231 are connected, and the second sealing ring 27 will be squeezed and fixed by the base 23 on the periphery of the output port 12 and the outlet 232 to ensure that the output port 12 and the outlet 232 are connected.

Optionally, the magnetic field generating member 3 is an annular permanent magnet, which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the resonant cavity 21. In this embodiment, two annular permanent magnets are provided, the magnetic poles of the two annular permanent magnets are the same, and an insulator is provided between the two annular permanent magnets so that there is a gap between the two annular permanent magnets to form a magnetic mirror.

In this embodiment, the annular permanent magnet is made of neodymium iron boron material.

In this embodiment, the intensity of the magnetic field is 875 Gs and the frequency of the microwaves is 2.45 GHz, so as to ensure that the Larmor frequency of the electrons matches the microwave frequency and that efficient discharge can be maintained in a low-pressure environment.

Embodiment 2

The ionization source device provided in this embodiment is different from the ionization source device provided in the first embodiment in that:

As shown in Fig. 2, the microwave introduction member 24 of the ionization source device of this embodiment is directly inserted into the ionization bubble 1. The specific structure is that a coating 25 of polytetrafluoroethylene material is provided on the inner wall of the resonant cavity 21 and the inner wall of the flange cover 22, so that the cavity formed by the combination of the resonant cavity 21 and the flange cover 22 is both a resonant cavity and an inner cavity of the ionization bubble 1. The ionization source device provided in this embodiment forms an ionization space for hydrogen ionization by coating the polytetrafluoroethylene material 25 in the resonant cavity, and the ionization bubble 1 can be completely omitted. To ensure the sealing of the ionization space, the resonant cavity 21 and the flange cover 22 need to be sealed and connected to avoid hydrogen leakage.

The structure of the microwave introduction member 24 of this embodiment is consistent with that of the microwave introduction member 24 of the first embodiment. The microwave introduction member 24 is generally made of pure copper and is silver-plated or gold-plated. The polytetrafluoroethylene material can prevent the generated plasma from contacting the metal surface and reversing and compounding into hydrogen molecules. The microwave introduction member 24 is located in the ionization bubble 1 to output electromagnetic field microwave energy, so the hydrogen near the microwave introduction member 24 is more easily ionized. Secondly, the surface area of the microwave introduction member 24 located in the ionization bubble 1 is small, that is, the contact with the hydrogen is limited. Therefore, even if the surface of the microwave introduction member 24 is not coated with polytetrafluoroethylene material, its effect on the reversal of the plasma is limited.

Optionally, the resonant cavity assembly 2 further includes a third sealing ring 28. The resonant cavity 21 has an opening, a step surface is provided at the opening, the flange cover 22 is provided on the step surface, and the third sealing ring 28 is sandwiched between the step surface and the flange cover 22. In specific implementation, the step surface is annular, the flange cover 22 is provided on the step surface to limit the assembly position of the flange cover 22 on the resonant cavity 21, and the outer periphery of the flange cover 22 and the inner wall of the opening are provided with matching threaded structures, and the flange cover 22 is fixed to the opening through threaded connection. The third sealing ring 28 is provided on the step surface, and as the flange cover 22 rotates at the opening so that the flange cover 22 continuously moves toward one side of the step surface, until the third sealing ring 28 is sandwiched between the flange cover 22 and the step surface, thereby ensuring the sealing of the ionization space.

In other embodiments, sealant may also be provided at the opening of the resonance cavity 21 to ensure that when the flange cover 22 is provided at the opening of the resonance cavity 21 , the sealant is used to seal the gap between the flange cover 22 and the resonance cavity 21 , thereby ensuring the sealing of the ionization space.

Optionally, the resonant cavity assembly 2 further includes a base 23, the base 23 is integrally provided with the resonant cavity, and the base 23 is provided with an input port 11 and an output port 12. In this embodiment, the input port 11 and the inlet 231 are the same, and the output port 12 and the outlet 232 are also the same. On this basis, it is no longer necessary to consider the sealed communication between the input port 11 and the inlet 231, and the sealed communication between the output port 12 and the outlet 232, and the structure is simpler.

In addition, the structure of the ionization source device provided in this embodiment is consistent with that of the ionization source device in the first embodiment, and will not be described in detail here.

Embodiment 3

This embodiment also provides a hydrogen atomic clock, including the ionization source device in embodiment 1 or embodiment 2. As one of the key components of the hydrogen atomic clock, the ionization source device can ionize hydrogen molecules into hydrogen atoms to provide the necessary hydrogen atoms for the normal operation of the hydrogen atomic clock. The ionization source device assembly structure of the hydrogen atomic clock is highly simplified, which helps to realize the miniaturized design of the ionization source device, and can also reduce energy coupling loss and improve the preparation efficiency of hydrogen atoms.

The above embodiments are only to illustrate the basic principles and characteristics of the present invention. The present invention is not limited by the above embodiments. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the present invention may be subject to various changes and modifications, which are within the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims (10)

1. An ionization source apparatus, comprising:

The ionization bubble (1), an input port (11) and an output port (12) are arranged on the ionization bubble (1), the input port (11) is used for inputting hydrogen into the ionization bubble (1), and the output port (12) is used for outputting hydrogen plasma in the ionization bubble (1);

The resonant cavity assembly (2) comprises a resonant cavity (21), a flange cover (22) and a microwave introduction piece (24), wherein the microwave introduction piece (24) is arranged on the flange cover (22), the flange cover (22) is covered on the resonant cavity (21) to form a resonant cavity, the ionization bubble (1) is positioned in the resonant cavity and is abutted against the flange cover (22), the microwave introduction piece (24) is inserted into the resonant cavity and is positioned in the ionization bubble (1) or outside the ionization bubble (1), and the microwave introduction piece (24) is used for introducing microwave into the resonant cavity or the ionization bubble (1);

The magnetic field generating piece (3) is arranged outside the resonant cavity (21), and the magnetic field generating piece (3) is used for generating a magnetic field so as to work together with the microwaves to ionize the hydrogen in the ionization bubble (1) into hydrogen plasma.

2. The ionization source device according to claim 1, wherein the outer wall of the ionization bulb (1) has a concave insertion groove (13), the insertion groove (13) extends in the thickness direction of the flange cover (22), and the magnetron of the microwave introduction member (24) is inserted into the insertion groove (13) and is located outside the ionization bulb (1).

3. The ionization source device according to claim 2, wherein at least two insertion slots (13) are provided, the magnetron comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode, the positive electrode being connected with the flange cover (22) in an insulating manner, the positive electrode being inserted in one of the insertion slots (13) and the negative electrode being inserted in the other insertion slot (13).

4. The ionization source device according to claim 2, wherein the resonant cavity assembly (2) further comprises a base (23), the resonant cavity (21) is detachably connected with the base (23), the ionization bubble (1) is clamped between the resonant cavity (21) and the base (23), an inlet (231) and an outlet (232) are arranged on the base (23), the inlet (231) is communicated with the input port (11), and the outlet (232) is communicated with the output port (12);

The resonant cavity assembly (2) further comprises a first sealing ring (26) and a second sealing ring (27), the base (23) abuts against the first sealing ring (26) to be annularly arranged on the periphery of the input port (11), and the base (23) abuts against the second sealing ring (27) to be annularly arranged on the periphery of the output port (12).

5. The ionization source device according to claim 1, wherein the resonant cavity (21) and the flange cover (22) are connected in a sealing manner, polytetrafluoroethylene coatings (25) are arranged on the inner wall of the resonant cavity (21) and the inner wall of the flange cover (22) to form the ionization bubble (1), and the microwave introduction member (24) is inserted into the resonant cavity and is positioned in the ionization bubble (1).

6. The ionization source device according to claim 5, wherein the resonant cavity assembly (2) further comprises a third sealing ring (28), the resonant cavity (21) is provided with an opening, a step surface is arranged at the opening, the flange cover (22) is arranged on the step surface, and the third sealing ring (28) is clamped between the step surface and the flange cover (22).

7. The ionization source device according to claim 1, wherein the resonator assembly (2) further comprises a base (23), the base (23) being integrally provided with the resonator body (21), the base (23) being provided with the input port (11) and the output port (12).

8. Ionization source device according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic field generating element (3) is an annular permanent magnet, which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the resonant cavity (21).

9. The ionization source device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field has a strength of 875Gs and the microwave has a frequency of 2.45GHz.

10. A hydrogen atomic clock comprising an ionization source device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.