Title :
Development of a single-frequency optically-pumped cesium beam resonator for space applications
Author :
Lecomte, S. ; Haldimann, M. ; Ruffieux, R. ; Thomann, P. ; Berthoud, P.
Author_Institution :
Obs. de Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Abstract :
Observatoire de Neuchâtel (ON) is developing a compact optically-pumped cesium beam frequency standard in the frame of an ESA-ARTES 5 project. The simplest optical scheme, which is based on a single optical frequency for both preparation and detection processes of atoms, has been chosen to fulfill reliability constraints of space applications. With our laboratory demonstrator, we have measured a frequency stability of σy=2.74×10-12τ-1/2, which is compliant with the Galileo requirement. Present performance limitations are discussed and further improvements are proposed in order to reach our ultimate frequency stability goal of σy=1×10-12τ-1/2.
Keywords :
caesium; frequency stability; reliability; satellite navigation; ESA-ARTES 5 project; ON; Observatoire de Neuchâtel; atom detection process; frequency stability; optical scheme; reliability; single-optical frequency optically-pumped cesium beam resonator; space applications; Atom optics; Atomic beams; Atomic clocks; Laser stability; Noise; Optical pumping; Optical resonators;
Conference_Titel :
Frequency and Time Forum (EFTF), 2006 20th European
Conference_Location :
Braunschweig
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4673-2642-1