The development of a ytterbium ion frequency standard

Author

Siedel, D.J. ; Williams, A. ; Berends, R.W. ; Maleki, L.

Author_Institution

Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA

fYear

1992

Firstpage

70

Lastpage

75

Abstract

A ytterbium ion standard currently under development for both ground and space applications is described. The ytterbium ion was chosen for its large hyperfine splitting at 12.6 GHz and the accessibility of its first excited electronic energy levels with light from frequency-doubled semiconductor and solid state lasers. The desired characteristics of a spaceborne instrument and the choice of ytterbium are discussed. The results of spectroscopy carried out on trapped ytterbium ions to determine means for overcoming the population trapping difficulties associated with this ion are presented

Keywords

atomic fluorescence; frequency measurement; measurement standards; particle traps; radiation pressure (atoms); ytterbium; 12.6 GHz; ¹⁷¹Yb⁺ ion frequency standard; energy level diagram; hybrid linear trap; ion fluorescence; ion trap; large hyperfine splitting; population trapping difficulties; spaceborne instrument; spectroscopic investigations; trapped ions; Fiber lasers; Frequency; Laser excitation; Laser theory; Optical pumping; Semiconductor lasers; Space technology; Stability; Standards development; Ytterbium;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Frequency Control Symposium, 1992. 46th., Proceedings of the 1992 IEEE

Conference_Location

Hershey, PA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-0476-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/FREQ.1992.270033

Filename

270033