Accession Number:

ADA191393

Title:

A Comparison of Various Alkali Gas Cell Atomic Frequency Standards.

Descriptive Note:

Technical rept.,

Corporate Author:

AEROSPACE CORP EL SEGUNDO CA CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS LAB

Personal Author(s):

• Camparo, J. C.
• Frueholz, R. P.

Report Date:

1988-02-12

Pagination or Media Count:

21.0

Abstract:

The present calculations indicate that a Rubidium gas cell standard shows the greatest potential for frequency stability, and in this regard nature has been uncommonly propitious. One should not, however, interpret this result as a superiority of the Rb87 standard in all regards. For example, if it is of primary importance to construct a miniature gas cell standard then cesium might prove to be more advantageous given the fact that its minimum volume cavity occupies less than half the volume of a corresponding Rb87 cavity. Additionally, magnetic field sensitivities are less for Cs133 as a consequence of its greater hyperfine transition frequency. The only statement one should make regarding the present results is that of all the possible alkali gas cell standards that could be considered, a Rb87 standard appears to yield the best attainable short-noise-limited performance.

Descriptors:

• *ATOMIC CLOCKS
• *FREQUENCY STANDARDS
• *ATOMIC PROPERTIES
• ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
• GAS CELLS
• STANDARDS
• STABILITY
• RUBIDIUM
• CESIUM
• NUCLEAR SPINS
• ISOTOPES
• HALF LIFE

Subject Categories:

• Test Facilities, Equipment and Methods
• Atomic and Molecular Physics and Spectroscopy

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE