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Rubidium frequency standard

Key members:

In this activity we study the use of diode lasers in atomic frequency standards based on Rubidium vapour cells . These standards exploit an atomic signal obtained by laser-microwave double-resonance spectroscopy to stabilize the frequency of a quartz oscillator. The use of laser diodes allows to separate different physical effects (like the light shift, temperature coefficient, and others) and to control and optimize each of them, in order to improve the performance of the overall instrument.

The goal of this studies is to demonstrate a very compact frequency standard (< 2 litres volume) that reaches a frequency stability of better than 10 -14 over one day, which corresponds to a time error of less than one nanosecond per day. Such frequency standards are of high interest for applications in e.g. satellite positioning & navigation (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO) and in telecommunication networks on ground or in space.

Relevant publications:

  1. C. Affolderbach, F. Droz, G. Mileti : Experimental Demonstration of a Compact and High-Performance Laser-Pumped Rubidium Gas-Cell Atomic Frequency Standard, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement 55, pp. 429-435 (2005).
  2. C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti: A compact laser head with high frequency stability for Rb atomic clocks and optical instrumentation, Review of Scientific Instruments 76 , 073108, (2005).
  3. C. Affolderbach, C. Andreeva, S. Cartaleva, T. Karaulanov, G. Mileti, D. Slavov: Light shift suppression in laser optically-pumped vapour-cell atomic frequency standards, Applied Physics B 80, pp. 841-848 , (2005).
  4. C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti: Tuneable, stabilised diode lasers for compact atomic frequency standards and precision wavelength references, Optics and Lasers in Engineering 43, pp. 291-302 , (2005).
  5. C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti, F. Droz, E. Murphy: Navigating more precisely with laser clocks, ESA Bulletin 122, pp. 52-58, (May 2005).

Conference and proceedings:

  1. C. Affolderbach, F. Droz, G. Mileti : A laser optically-pumped Rubidium vapour-cell frequency standard using a DFB laser diode, CLEO-Europe / EQEC, Munich, (June 2007).
  2. C. Affolderbach, E. Breschi, C. Schori, G. Mileti: Gas-Cell Atomic Clocks for Space: New Results and Alternative Schemes, Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Space Optics', ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, ESA Special Publication SP-621, (June 2006).
  3. C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti, F. Droz, A compact, high-performance laser-pumped Rb atomic frequency standard, CLEO - EUROPE / EQEC 2005 (European Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics / European Quantum electronics Conference), Munich, Germany, (June 2005).
  4. G. Mileti, C. Affolderbach: Laser optical pumping in Rb vapour-cell atomic clocks (Invited), 13th International School on Quantum Electronics: Laser Physics and Applications, Burgas, Bulgaria, Proc. SPIE, vol. 5830, p. 159 , (2005).
  5. D. Slavov, C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti, Spectral characterisation of tuneable, narrow-band diode lasers for Rb atomic spectroscopy and precision instruments, Proceedings of the SPIE, 13th International School on Quantum Electronics "Laser physics and applications", Burgas, Bulgaria, Proc. SPIE, vol. 5830, p. 281 , (2005).
  6. G. Mileti, C. Affolderbach: A compact, frequency stabilised laser head for space Rb clocks and wavelength references, Proceedings of the International Conference on Space Optics (ICSO), ESA Special Publication SP-554, Toulouse, (2004).
  7. C. Affolderbach, A. Vuillemin, R. Matthey, G. Mileti, Development of tunable, narrow-band, and frequency stabilised laser heads in Observatoire Cantonal de Neuchâtel, Proceedings of the International Conference of Space Optics (ICSO), ESA Special Publication SP-554, Toulouse, (2004).
  8. C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti, A compact, high performance laser-pumped Rb frequency standard, Proceedings of the European Frequency and Time Forum (EFTF), (April 2004).
  9. C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti, D. Slavov, C. Andreeva, S. Cartaleva, Comparison of simple and compact "Doppler" and "Sub-Doppler" laser frequency stabilisation schemes, Proceedings of the European Frequency and Time Forum (EFTF), (April 2004).
  10. G. Mileti, C. Affolderbach, Development of new rubidium clocks in Observatoire Cantonal de Neuchâtel, Precise Time and Time Interval Systems (PTTI), San Diego, (December 2003).
  11. D. Slavov, C. Andreeva, S. Cartaleva, C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti, Frequency stability comparison of diode lasers locked to Doppler and sub-Doppler resonances, ILLA / LTL (International conference on Lasers and Laser Applications), Smolyan, Bulgaria, p. 168, (October 2003).
  12. C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti, D. Slavov, C. Andreeva, S. Cartaleva, Experimental demonstration of light shift suppression in optically-pumped Rb cell atomic clocks, ILLA / LTL (International conference on Lasers and Laser Applications) Smolyan, Bulgaria, p. 155, (October 2003).
  13. C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti, A compact, frequency stabilized laser head for optical pumping in space Rb clocks, Proceedings of the IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium, jointly with the 17th European Frequency and Time Forum, p. 109, (2003).
  14. C. Affolderbach, G. Mileti, C. Andreeva, D. Slavov, T. Karaulanov, S. Cartaleva, Reducing light-shift effects in optically-pumped gas-cell atomic frequency standards, Proceedings of the IEEE Int. Frequency Control Symposium and 17th European Frequency and Time Forum, p. 27, (2003).