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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

RF Differential Phase Noise Measurements of the LISA TRL-6 Laser

RF differential phase noise (RF modulation sideband phase noise): phase jitter between the optical sideband generated from phase modulation and the optical carrier. Clock noise information of each space craft (s/c) is imprinted on the RF modulation sidebands and transferred between s/c through beating of the sidebands. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the RF modulation phase noise as light propagates from the phase modulator to the power amplifier delivery fiber.

Phase noise↗
NASA NTRS1987

Real-Time Simulation Clock

Fiber-optic network delivers time signals to widely separated simulator sites. Real-time digital flight simulation used to support variety of research programs. Majority of research involves man-in-the-loop simulation requiring interconnection of digital computers, simulation cockpits, control consoles, graphics subsystems, and related equipment. Real-time simulation subsystem consists of several CYBER(R) computers and over 20 simulation sites. Allows for several simultaneous simulation jobs on one CYBER(R) as well as any combination of sites in each integrated simulation job.

Bennington, Donald R.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Gravitizing the quantum

We discuss a new approach to the problem of quantum gravity in which the quantum mechanical structures that are traditionally fixed, such as the Fubini–Study metric in the Hilbert space of states, become dynamical and so implement the idea of gravitizing the quantum. In particular, in this formulation of quantum gravity the quantum geometry is still consistent with the principles of unitarity and also captures fundamental aspects of (quantum) gravity, such as topology change. As a result, we address specific ways of testing this new approach to quantum gravity by utilizing multipath interference and optical lattice atomic clocks.

Quantum gravity↗
NASA NTRS1994

Monolithic Optical-To-Electronic Receiver

Monolithic optoelectronic integrated circuit converts multiplexed digital optical signals into electrical signals, separates, and distributes them to intended destinations. Developed to deliver phase and amplitude commands to monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC's) at elements of millimeter-wave phased-array antenna from single optical fiber driven by external array controller. Also used in distribution of high-data-rate optical communications in local-area networks (LAN's). Notable features include options for optical or electrical clock inputs; outputs for raw data, addresses, and instructions for diagnosis; and optical-signal-detection circuit used to reduce power consumption by 80 percent between data-transmission times. Chip fabricated by processes available at many major semiconductor foundries. Distribution of digital signals in aircraft, automobiles, and ships potential application.

Kunath, Richard↗
NASA NTRS1990

Optical interconnections and networks; Proceedings of the Meeting, The Hague, Netherlands, Mar. 14, 15, 1990

The conference presents papers on interconnections, clock distribution, neural networks, and components and materials. Particular attention is given to a comparison of optical and electrical data interconnections at the board and backplane levels, a wafer-level optical interconnection network layout, an analysis and simulation of photonic switch networks, and the integration of picosecond GaAs photoconductive devices with silicon circuits for optical clocking and interconnects. Consideration is also given to the optical implementation of neural networks, invariance in an optoelectronic implementation of neural networks, and the recording of reversible patterns in polymer lightguides.

Bartelt, Hartmut↗
NASA NTRS2009

Inter-Symbol Guard Time for Synchronizing Optical PPM

An inter-symbol guard time has been proposed as a means of synchronizing the symbol and slot clocks of an optical pulse-position modulation (PPM) receiver with the symbol and slot periods of an incoming optical PPM signal.The proposal is applicable to the low-flux case in which the receiver photodetector operates in a photon-counting mode and the count can include contributions from incidental light sources and dark current.

Far, William↗
DOE OSTI2014

Low-frequency, self-sustained oscillations in inductively coupled plasmas used for optical pumping

We have investigated very low frequency, on the order of one hertz, self-pulsing in alkali-metal inductively-coupled plasmas (i.e., rf-discharge lamps). This self-pulsing has the potential to significantly vary signal-to-noise ratios and (via the ac-Stark shift) resonant frequencies in optically pumped atomic clocks and magnetometers (e.g., the atomic clocks now flying on GPS and Galileo global navigation system satellites). The phenomenon arises from a nonlinear interaction between the atomic physics of radiation trapping and the plasma's electrical nature. To explain the effect, we have developed an evaporation/condensation theory (EC theory) of the self-pulsing phenomenon.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Spin-squeezing-induced enhancement of the sensitivity of an atomic clock using coherent population trapping

The coherent population trapping (CPT) effect is used for making compact atomic clocks. There are two types of CPT clocks: the one in which the Raman beams are applied continuously and the one in which two CPT pulses separated by a dark period are applied (Ramsey scheme). It is obvious that the technique of spin squeezing can only be applied to the Ramsey CPT clock to enhance the sensitivity. However, it is not apparent how to adapt to the CPT clock the protocols for the microwave clock using one-axis-twist squeezing (OATS), since the Ramsey CPT clock is not trivially equivalent to the Ramsey microwave clock. In this paper, we show explicitly how to adapt two protocols using OATS, namely, the Schrödinger cat state protocol (SCSP) and the generalization thereof, and the echo squeezing protocol (ESP), to the CPT clock. The ESP magnifies the phase shift by a factor of N / e , while the SCSP magnifies the phase shift by a factor of N / 2 , making it able to achieve a higher sensitivity in the presence of excess noise.

Li, Jinyang↗
DOE OSTI2020

Method for active sensor signal optimization

A system and method for optimizing a fiber optic sensor by properly clocking or rotationally orienting a window with a fiber optic focuser. This method may include shining light through the focuser into the window and receiving with a reflectometer a first reflection from a first surface of the window and a second reflection from a second surface of the window. Next, the method may include calculating a delta of intensities between the first and second reflections, and then rotating an orientation of the window to a next rotational orientation. The steps of rotating the orientation of the window, receiving reflections, and calculating their delta may be repeated any plurality of times to solve for a plurality of deltas. Then, the method may include the steps of determining which one of the deltas is the largest and fixing the window to the focuser at a rotational orientation associated therewith.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Frequency reproducibility of solid-state thorium-229 nuclear clocks

Solid-state thorium-229 ( 229 Th) nuclear clocks are set to provide new opportunities for precision metrology and fundamental physics. Taking advantage of inherent low sensitivity of a nuclear transition to its environment, orders of magnitude more emitters can be hosted in a solid-state crystal compared with current optical lattice atomic clocks. Furthermore, solid-state systems needing only simple thermal control are key to the development of field-deployable compact clocks. Here we explore and characterize the frequency reproducibility of the 229 Th:CaF 2 nuclear clock transition, a key performance metric for all clocks. We measure the transition linewidth and centre frequency as a function of the doping concentration, temperature and time. We report the concentration-dependent inhomogeneous linewidth of the nuclear transition, limited by the intrinsic host crystal properties. We determine an optimal working temperature for the 229 Th:CaF 2 nuclear clock at 196(5) K, at which the first-order thermal sensitivity vanishes. This would enable in situ temperature co-sensing using different quadrupole-split lines, reducing the temperature-induced systematic shift below the 10 −18 fractional frequency uncertainty level. At 195 K, the reproducibility of the nuclear transition frequency is 220 Hz (fractionally 1.1 × 10 −13 ) for two differently doped 229 Th:CaF 2 crystals over 7 months. Furthermore, these results form the foundation for understanding, controlling and harnessing the coherent nuclear excitation of 229 Th in solid-state hosts and for their applications in constraining temporal variations of fundamental constants.

Atomic and molecular physics↗
DOE OSTI2019

Spectroscopy of the quadrupole clock transition of ytterbium-171 ions for optical frequency standard development

We outline the results of the spectroscopic investigation of the quadrupole transition of a single ytterbium-171 ion as applied to the development of an optical frequency standard with a relative uncertainty and long-term frequency instability of less than 10{sup −17}. The spectral width of the resonance recorded at the centre transition frequency amounts to about 30 Hz. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Detection of the clock transition in thulium atoms by using repump laser radiation

A population transfer from the upper level of the clock transition in thulium atoms to the ground level is demonstrated by using radiation with a wavelength of 402 nm. The method for detecting the clock transition excitation that is not affected by technical fluctuations of the number of atoms in an optical lattice is investigated. The hyperfine splitting of the |4f{sup 12}({sup 3}F{sub 2})5d{sub 5/2} 6s{sup 2}; J = 7/2〉 level in the thulium atom is measured to be 1480(9) MHz. The suggested method for population transfer can be applied to both the hyperfine components of the clock transition intended for compensating Zeeman effect in a thulium optical clock. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Active Cancellation of Servo-Induced Noise on Stabilized Lasers via Feedforward

Many precision laser applications require active frequency stabilization. However, such stabilization loops operate by pushing noise to frequencies outside their bandwidth, leading to large “servo bumps” that can have deleterious effects for certain applications. The prevailing approach to filtering this noise is to pass the laser through a high-finesse optical cavity, which places constraints on the system design. Here, we propose and demonstrate a different approach where a frequency error signal is derived from a beat note between the laser and the light that passes through the reference cavity. The phase noise derived from this beat note is fed forward to an electro-optic modulator after the laser, carefully accounting for relative delay, for real-time frequency correction. With a hertz-line-width laser, we show ≳20 dB noise suppression at the peak of the servo bump (approximately 250 kHz) and a noise-suppression bandwidth of approximately 5 MHz—well beyond the servo bump. By simulating the Rabi dynamics of a two-level atom with our measured data, we demonstrate substantial improvements to the pulse fidelity over a wide range of Rabi frequencies. Here, our approach offers a simple and versatile method for obtaining a clean spectrum of a narrow-line-width laser, as required in many emerging applications of cold atoms, and is readily compatible with commercial systems that may even include wavelength conversion.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Simulating cosmological evolution by quantum quench of an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate

In cosmological evolution, it is the homogeneous scalar field (inflaton) that drives the universe to expand isotropically and to generate standard model particles. However, to simulate cosmology, atomic gas research has focused on the dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) with continuously applied forces. In this paper we argue that a complementary approach needs also to be pursued; we thus consider the analog BEC experiments in a nondriven and naturally closed atomic system. We implement this using a BEC in an optical lattice which, after a quench, freely transitions from an unstable to a stable state. Furthermore, this dynamical evolution displays the counterpart “preheating,” “reheating,” and “thermalization” phases of cosmology. Importantly, our studies of these analog processes yield tractable analytic models. Additionally, of great utility to the cold atom community, such understanding elucidates the dynamics of nonadiabatic condensate preparation. Indeed, the dynamical processes discussed here are generic and in future cold atom reequilibration experiments it will be important to observe both the preheating stage, corresponding to a fragmented condensate, and the reheating stage, corresponding to a particle cloud.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

High-bandwidth CMOS-voltage-level electro-optic modulation of 780 nm light in thin-film lithium niobate

Integrated photonics operating at visible-near-infrared (VNIR) wavelengths offer scalable platforms for advancing optical systems for addressing atomic clocks, sensors, and quantum computers. The complexity of free-space control optics causes limited addressability of atoms and ions, and this remains an impediment on scalability and cost. Networks of Mach-Zehnder interferometers can overcome challenges in addressing atoms by providing high-bandwidth electro-optic control of multiple output beams. Here, we demonstrate a VNIR Mach-Zehnder interferometer on lithium niobate on sapphire with a CMOS voltage-level compatible full-swing voltage of 4.2 V and an electro-optic bandwidth of 2.7 GHz occupying only 0.35 mm 2 . Our waveguides exhibit 1.6 dB/cm propagation loss and our microring resonators have intrinsic quality factors of 4.4 × 10 5 . This specialized platform for VNIR integrated photonics can open new avenues for addressing large arrays of qubits with high precision and negligible cross-talk.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2024

Autonomous Navigation of a Lunar Relay Using GNSS and Other Measurements

NASA’s Lunar Communications Relay and Navigation Services (LCRNS) project will establish a relay constellation at the Moon to provide the south pole region with communications and position, navigation, and time (PNT) services. These services will require highly accurate knowledge of position, velocity, and time (PVT) for each relay. This paper explores one approach for performing onboard PVT estimation, the LCRNS PNT Instrument (LPI). This paper considers different configurations of the instrument, specifically different measurement types and clocks, and the resulting navigation performance. Simulation results are first shown for an instrument configuration that uses GPS pseudorange and Doppler measurements with a highly sensitive GPS receiver (i.e., an acquisition and tracking threshold of 23 dB-Hz) and a chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC). The importance of Doppler, clock quality, receiver sensitivity, and optical navigation is examined through comparison of these results to other instrument configurations. Clock quality (i.e., stability) is the strongest determinant of achievable performance, and the inclusion of GPS Doppleralso has a significant effect. Finally, simulation results are compared to two laboratory tests: first a case that includes GPS receiver hardware in the loop, then a case that includes optical navigation and filter flight software in the loop. These agreeclosely with the simulation results and provide evidence the simulation is accurately modeling the instrument under development.

Benjamin W Ashman↗
NASA NTRS1991

Development of an optically-pumped cesium standard at the Aerospace Corporation

We have initiated a research program to study the performance of compact optically-pumped cesium (Cs) frequency standards, which have potential for future timekeeping applications in space. A Cs beam clock apparatus has been assembled. Basic functions of the frequency standard have been demonstrated. Clock signals are observed with optical pumping schemes using one or two lasers. With two laser pumping, we are able to selectively place up to 80 percent of the atomic population into one of the clock transition states. The observed pattern of clock signal indicates that the velocity distribution of the Cs atoms contributing to the microwave signal is beam-Maxwellian. Thus, in the optically-pumped Cs frequency standards, the entire Cs population in the atomic beam could be utilized to generate the clock signals. This is in contrast to the conventional Cs beam standards where only approx. 1 percent of the atoms in the beam are used. More efficient Cs consumption can lead to improved reliability and increased useful lifetime of the clock. Our preliminary results are summarized in this paper

Yat C. Chan↗
DOE OSTI2016

Transient processes under dynamic excitation of a coherent population trapping resonance

It is shown for the first time that under dynamic excitation of a coherent population trapping resonance in Rb vapours at different bichromatic pump modulation frequencies from a few tens of hertz and higher, the resonance is dramatically deformed as a result of emerging intensity oscillations of radiation transmitted through an Rb vapour cell. A significant change in the shape of the resonance under its dynamic excitation is confirmed experimentally and theoretically. A possible impact of the identified changes in the shape of the coherent population trapping resonance on the stability of an atomic clock is qualitatively discussed. (optical traps)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗