Miniaturized optical system for atomic fountain clock

Using modularized components, we have built a miniaturized optical system for 87Rb atomic fountain clock that is fitted on an 80 cm × 60 cm optical breadboard. Compared with the conventional optical setup on the table, our system is more compact, more robust and miniaturized. Taking advantage of this system, laser beams are transmitted through eight optical fibre patch cords from the optical breadboard to an ultra high vacuum system. This optical setup has operated for five months in our fountain system and required no alignment.     

Fold optics path: an improvement for an atomic fountain

A fold optical path is utilized to capture and launch atoms in the atomic fountain.This improved technique reduces the laser power needed by 60 percent,facilitates suppression of the laser power fluctuations,and leads to a more simple and stable system.     

Optimization of temperature characteristics of a transportable ~(87)Rb atomic fountain clock

A high-performance transportable fountain clock is attractive for use in laboratories with high-precision time-frequency measurement requirements. This Letter reports the improvement of the stability of a transportable rubidium-87 fountain clock because of an optimization of temperature characteristics. This clock integrates its physical packaging, optical benches, microwave frequency synthesizers, and electronic controls onto an easily movable wheeled plate. Two optical benches with a high-vibration resistance are realized in this work. No additional adjustment is required after moving them several times. The Allan deviation of the fountain clock frequency was measured by comparing it with that of the hydrogen maser. The fountain clock got a short-term stability of 2.3 × 10~(-13) at 1 s and long-term stability on the order of 10~(-16) at 100,000 s.     

Dynamic Simulation for Hysteresis in Shape Memory Alloy under Tension

We demonstrate that the Suliciu model is capable to model the hysteresis phenomenon observed experimentally in NiTi shape memory alloy micro-tubes. This model allows a class of stationary phase interfaces. By a series of fully dynamic numerical simulations that mimic quasi-static loading and unloading, the nominal stress-train curve exhibits a big hysteresis loop, which quantitatively agrees with the experimental results.     

Loss of cold atoms due to collisions with residual gases in free flight in a magneto-optical trap

The loss rate of cold atoms in a trap due to residual gas collisions differs from that in a free state after the cold atoms are released from the trap. In this paper, the loss rate in a cold rubidium-87 atom cloud was measured in a magneto-optical trap(MOT) and during its free flight. The residual gas pressure was analyzed by a residual gas analyzer, and the pressure distribution in a vacuum chamber was numerically calculated by the angular coefficient method. The decay factor, which describes the decay behavior of cold atoms due to residual gas collisions during a free flight, was calculated. It was found that the decay factor agrees well with theoretical predictions under various vacuum conditions.