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Atomic Clock Based On Linear Ion Trap
Highly stable atomic clock based on excitation and measurement of hyperfine transition in 199Hg+ ions confined in linear quadrupole trap by radio-frequency and static electric fields. Configuration increases stability of clock by enabling use of enough ions to obtain adequate signal while reducing non-thermal component of motion of ions in trapping field, reducing second-order Doppler shift of hyperfine transition. Features described in NPO-17758 "Linear Ion Trap for Atomic Clock." Frequency standard based on hyperfine transition described in NPO-17456, "Trapped-Mercury-Ion Frequency Standard."
Glace: A Technology Demonstration Experiment for Laser Cooled Atomic Clocks in Space
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Phase modulation for reduced vibration sensitivity in laser-cooled clocks in space
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Design for the microwave interrogation structure in PARCS
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Mercury trapped ion frequency standard for the global positioning system
We report on progress towards the development of a small, low mass and power, and high stability mercury trapped ion frequency standard for the Global Positioning System.
Development of Flight Technology for Future Laser-Cooled Space Clocks
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Nitrogen buffer gas experiments in Mercury trapped ion frequency standards
Practical, continuous operating mercury trapped ion frequency standards have traditionally used a helium buffer gas to increase loading efficiency and cool ions to near room temperature.
Development of flight technology for future laser-cooled space clocks
In this paper we report on the development of flight technologies to be used in space-based, laser-cooled atomic clocks scheduled to fly on the International Space Station.
Phase modulation for reduced vibration sensitivity in laser-cooled clocks in space
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Clock Technology Development for the Laser Cooling and Atomic Physics (LCAP) Program
The Time and Frequency Sciences and Technology Group at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has developed a laser cooling capability for flight and has been selected by NASA to support the Laser-Cooling and Atomic Physics (LCAP) program.
Space Flyable Hg(sup +) Frequency Standards
We discuss a design for a space based atomic frequency standard (AFS) based on Hg(sup +) ions confined in a linear ion trap. This newly developed AFS should be well suited for space borne applications because it can supply the ultra-high stability of a H-maser but its total mass is comparable to that of a NAVSTAR/GPS cesium clock, i.e., about 11kg. This paper will compare the proposed Hg(sup +) AFS to the present day GPS cesium standards to arrive at the 11 kg mass estimate. The proposed space borne Hg(sup +) standard is based upon the recently developed extended linear ion trap architecture which has reduced the size of existing trapped Hg(sup +) standards to a physics package which is comparable in size to a cesium beam tube. The demonstrated frequency stability to below 10(sup -15) of existing Hg(sup +) standards should be maintained or even improved upon in this new architecture. This clock would deliver far more frequency stability per kilogram than any current day space qualified standard.
Performance of the PARCS Testbed Cesium Fountain Frequency Standard
A cesium fountain frequency standard has been developed as a ground testbed for the PARCS (Primary Atomic Reference Clock in Space) experiment, an experiment intended to fly on the International Space Station. We report on the performance of the fountain and describe some of the implementations motivated in large part by flight considerations, but of relevance for ground fountains. In particular, we report on a new technique for delivering cooling and trapping laser beams to the atom collection region, in which a given beam is recirculated three times effectively providing much more optical power than traditional configurations. Allan deviations down to 10 have been achieved with this method.
Time-synchronized VLF phase-tracking receiver
Coded signals transmitted at very low frequencies by National Bureau of Standards via its radio facility WWVL contain both primary time and frequency information. Synchronization of local time with WWVL signal standard requires comparison of phase differences between transmitted signal and output of traveling atomic clock such as rubidium frequency standard.
Mercury Atomic Frequency Standards for Space Based Navigation and Timekeeping
A low power Mercury Atomic Frequency Standard (MAFS) has been developed and demonstrated on the path towards future space clock applications. A self contained mercury ion breadboard clock: emulating flight clock interfaces, steering a USO local oscillator, and consuming approx 40 Watts has been operating at JPL for more than a year. This complete, modular ion clock instrument demonstrates that key GNSS size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements can be achieved while still maintaining short and long term performance demonstrated in previous ground ion clocks. The MAFS breadboard serves as a flexible platform for optimizing further space clock development and guides engineering model design trades towards fabrication of an ion clock for space flight.
Atomic frequency standard relativistic Doppler shift experiment
An experiment has been performed to measure possible space anisotropy as it would effect the frequency of a cesium atomic beam standard clock in a laboratory on earth due to motion relative to external coordinate frames. The cesium frequency was measured as a function of orientation with respect to an atomic hydrogen maser standard. Over a period of 34 days 101 measurements were made. The results are consistent with a conclusion that no general orientation dependance attributable to spacial anisotropy was observed. It is shown that both the airplane clock results, and the null results for the atomic beam clock, are consistent with Einstein general or special relativity, or with the Lorentz transformations alone.
Higher Pole Linear Traps for Atomic Clock Applications
We investigate experimentally and theoretically higher pole linear ion traps for frequency standard use.