Development of the quantum discriminator for compact atomic clock

In the Laboratory of Frequency Standards, Quantum Radiophysics Division, Lebedev Physical Institute, a compact atomic standard of frequency and time is being developed. The results of this study make it possible to achieve a narrower metrological resonance of coherent population trapping (CPT) than in developed foreign analogues of compact atomic clocks, which will have a direct effect on the standard stability. The effect of the combination of buffer gas and antirelaxation coating on the CPT amplitude and resonance width are studied; parameters of short-cavity diode lasers (SCDLs) specially developed in collaboration with the Polyus Research and Development Institute are studied. A prototype of the compact physical discriminator for the atomic clock is developed and assembled. The dark width of the metrological resonance in the discriminator is less than 1 kHz, which theoretically implies the development of a compact atomic clock with a stability (Allan parameter) no worse than 3 · 10⁻¹² per hour.     

Mode-locked laser-type optical atomic clock with an optically pumped Cs gas cell

We propose and demonstrate a mode-locked laser-type optical atomic clock with an optically pumped cesium (Cs) gas cell. By adopting the optically pumped Cs gas cell with a double resonance method as a frequency standard, we have successfully demonstrated an ultrastable rack-mount type Cs optical atomic clock with excellent short-term stability. The obtained frequency stabilities reached as high as 1.2 x 10(-12) for tau=1 s and 8.8 x 10(-14) for tau=100 s for a 9.1926 GHz microwave output signal.     

时间频率基准装置的研制现状

时间频率基准装置——铯原子喷泉钟, 在标准时间产生和保持、基础物理研究中发挥了重要的作用. 介绍了铯原子喷泉钟的工作原理, 对影响其性能的各项噪声源和频移项给出了分析, 影响频率稳定度性能的主要因素为Dick 效应相关的原子团装载时间、微波激励源相位噪声和探测激光的频率噪声, 影响频率不确定性能主要频移项为: 黑体辐射频移、冷原子碰撞频移、腔相位分布频移和微波泄露频移; 总结和比较了当前具有先进性能的铯原子喷泉钟采用的技术; 介绍了铯原子喷泉钟的主要应用方向、空间冷原子铯钟的研制情况和光学频率原子钟进展.     

Temperature oscillations in a compartmentalized bidisperse granular gas

A granular clock is observed in a vertically vibrated compartmentalized granular gas composed of two types of grains with the same size. The dynamics of the clock is studied in terms of an unstable evaporation or condensation model for the granular gas. In this model, the temperatures of the two types of grains are considered to be different, and they are functions of the composition of the gas. Oscillations in the system are driven by the asymmetric collisions properties between the two types of grains. Both our experiments and model show that the transition of the system from a homogeneous state to an oscillatory state is via a Hopf bifurcation.     

On the behavior of an oscillator clock near the singularity of a gravitational field

In 1975 Møller tried to show that the general relativistic concept of standard time or proper time would lose its physical meaning in the vicinity of singularities of a gravitational field [1]. His treatment of a classical harmonic oscillator clock falling into a singularity is checked in the present paper and is found to be insufficient to prove the above statement. A relativistic clock model is given to ensure the reasonable physical meaning of proper time.     

原子喷泉频标:原理与发展

介绍了喷泉频标的原理与发展.喷泉频标是一项近20年来发展起来的原子钟技术,它以激光冷却技术为基础,利用该技术实现了冷原子介质的俘获与上抛.冷原子介质在上抛下落过程中首先完成原子态制备,然后两次通过微波谐振腔实现Ramsey作用,在两次作用之间原子经历自由演化,最后原子经过探测区,通过双能级荧光探测法探测原子跃迁概率得到鉴频的Ramsey干涉条纹,并实现频率锁定,其中心条纹的线宽在1Hz左右.频率稳定度和频率不确定度是喷泉频标的两个重要指标.影响喷泉钟频率稳定度的因素主要有量子投影噪声和电子学噪声,目前喷泉钟的短期稳定度为(10~(-13)—10~(-14))τ~(-1/2),长期稳定度在(10~(-16)—10~(-17))量级.喷泉频标的频率不确定度主要受二阶塞曼频移、黑体辐射频移、冷原子碰撞频移以及与微波相关的频移等的影响.目前喷泉钟的不确定度在小的10~(-16)量级.作为基准频标,喷泉钟的工作介质主要是~(133)Cs,~(87)Rb.国际各大计量机构都研制了喷泉频标,它在各地协调世界时的建立、国际原子时的校准等方面发挥着越来越重要的作用.此外,喷泉频标还用于研究高精度时频基准和时间比对链路、验证基本物理理论等.     

光学频率标准与光钟的实现

综述了时间频率标准的发展过程.对构成光学频率标准的四个要素,即激光冷却、激光稳频、离子捕陷和光学频率梳进行了系统的介绍.详细描述了光钟的原理与系统构成,并对光学频率标准与光钟的应用前景进行了展望.     

基于GPS/北斗共视技术的铷钟驯服方法

在分析了现有铷钟驯服方法的基础上,提出了一种基于GPS/北斗共视技术的铷钟驯服方法,将铷钟的输出频率驯服到时间频率的最高国家基准UTC(NIM)上。试验结果表明,本文提出的方法可以有效实现对铷钟的驯服,经驯服的铷钟频率信号指标良好,能够提供铯钟量级的高精度频率标准。     

Application of Electron-Shelving Detection via 423 nm Transition in Calcium-Beam Optical Frequency Standard

A new scheme of small compact optical frequency standard based on thermal calcium beam with application of 423 nm shelving detection and sharp-angle velocity selection detection is proposed. Combining these presented techniques, we conclude that a small compact optical frequency standard based on thermal calcium beam will outperform the commercial caesium-beam microwave dock, like the 5071 Cs clock （from Hp to Agilent, now Symmetricom company）, both in accuracy and stability.     

Conventionalism in special relativity

Reichenbach, Grünbaum, and others have argued that special relativity is based on arbitrary conventions concerning clock synchronizations. Here we present a mathematical framework which shows that this conventionality is almost equivalent to the arbitrariness in the choice of coordinates in an inertial system. Since preferred systems of coordinates can uniquely be defined by means of the Lorentz invariance of physical laws irrespective of the properties of light signals, a special clock synchronization—Einstein's standard synchrony—is selected by this principle. No further restrictions conerning light signal synchronization, as proposed, e.g., by Ellis and Bowman, are required in order to refute conventionalism in special relativity.     

High Quality Factor Q and Low Timing Jitter from MLLD Using Optical Injection

采用１０ＧＨｚ基准时钟光和１０Ｇｂｉｔ／ｓ的数据脉冲信号光注入到锁模激光二极管，降低了周期抖动，当注入功率为－５ｄＢｍ，在基准时钟光波长等于锁模激光二极管的光波长时，获得的最小抖动为０．２５ｐｓ，采用混合锁模激光二极管，在注入功率为＋２７ｄＢｍ时，其Ｑ值达３０００．     

用光脉冲注入从锁模激光二极管再生低抖动高Q值光时钟

采用１０ＧＨＺ基准时钟光和１０Ｇｂｉｔ／ｓ的数据脉冲信号光注入到锁模激光二极管，降低了周期抖动，当注入功率为－５ｄＢｍ，在基准时钟光波长等于锁模激光二极管的光波长时，获得的最小抖动为０．２５ｐｓ，采用给锁模激光二极管，在注入功率为＋２７ｄＢｍ时，其Ｑ值达３０００。     

The Hidden Symmetries of Spin-1 Ising Lattice Gas for Usual Quantum Hamiltonians

In this letter, the most common quantum Hamiltonian is exploited in order to compare the definite equivalences, corresponding to possible spin values in a lattice gas model, to those in a spin-1 Ising model. Our approach also requires interpolating both results in a p-state clock model, in order to find the hidden symmetries of both under consideration models.     

Polarisation-dependent optical pumping for interrogation of a magnetic-field-independent “clock” transition in laser-cooled trapped 87Sr+

We discuss the prospect of using the ⁸⁷Sr⁺ ion as an optical frequency standard. The ion offers a narrow electric quadrupole clock transition which has no first-order Zeeman shifts, and the required wavelengths can be generated with convenient solid-state laser systems. We describe how to cool and probe the ion in zero magnetic field by employing polarisation modulation of the cooling light to avoid coherent population trapping in dark states. The polarisation modulation scheme also provides optical pumping of the ion into the initial state of the narrow clock transition.     

Equivalence principle and gravitational redshift

We investigate leading order deviations from general relativity that violate the Einstein equivalence principle in the gravitational standard model extension. We show that redshift experiments based on matter waves and clock comparisons are equivalent to one another. Consideration of torsion balance tests, along with matter-wave, microwave, optical, and M?ssbauer clock tests, yields comprehensive limits on spin-independent Einstein equivalence principle-violating standard model extension terms at the 10(-6) level.     

相干布居数囚禁原子频标的实现及相关实验参数研究

原子频标要求高信噪比和窄线宽的鉴频信号,但对于被动型相干囚禁态原子频标(CPT频标), 改善鉴频信号信噪比以增加线宽为代价,因此选择合适的信噪比和线宽组合是研制CPT原子频标频标的重要环节。文章介绍了用桌面CPT频标系统地研究了鉴频信号与温度、光强等参数的关系所获得的研究结果,由此获得了合适选取的信噪比与线宽组合的依据。文章还给出了关于光源非理想偏振导致的消相干效应对CPT频标的影响所开展的实验结果。文章所提供的研究结果不仅帮助我们研制成功了CPT频标,而且对于CPT物理现象研究和其他CPT频标的研制也有参考价值。     

Characterization of standard clocks by means of light rays and freely falling particles

A mathematical characterization of standard clocks (i.e., clocks measuring proper time) is presented, which yields an experimental method to test whether or not a given clock is a standard clock. The only tools needed are light rays and freely falling particles. For this reason our method fits very well in the framework of the axiomatic approach to space-time theory given by Ehlers, Pirani, and Schild [1], where just light rays and freely falling particles are used as primitive concepts. As the underlying space-time model we use a Weyl manifold (instead of a Lorentz manifold, which is the usual model of general relativity); this generalization is motivated by [1].     

基于飞秒光频梳的双频He-Ne激光器频率测量

利用光纤飞秒光频梳和外腔可调谐半导体激光器, 建立了一套双频He-Ne激光器频率测量系统. 选用铷钟作为系统的频率基准, 通过将外腔半导体激光锁定至光频梳使得其频率溯源至铷钟, 再利用外腔可调谐半导体激光与双频He-Ne激光器输出的正交偏振激光拍频, 同时测量两路正交偏振激光频率. 将可调谐半导体激光器锁定至光频梳第1894449个梳齿, 其绝对频率为473612190000.0±2.7 kHz, 相对不确定度为5.7×10^-12. 对商品双频He-Ne激光器进行频率测量实验, 双频He-Ne激光器水平方向偏振激光频率均值为473612229934 kHz, 竖直方向偏振激光频率均值为473612232111 kHz, 平均时间为1024 s的相对Allan标准差为5.2×10^-11, 频差均值为2.177 MHz, 标准偏差为2 kHz.     

Atomic clocks: A brief history and current status of research in India

Frequency corresponding to the energy difference between designated levels of an atom provides precise reference for making a universally accurate clock. Since the middle of the 20th century till now, there have been tremendous efforts in the field of atomic clocks making time the most accurately measured physical quantity. National Physical Laboratory India (NPLI) is the nation’s timekeeper and is developing an atomic fountain clock which will be a primary frequency standard. The fountain is currently operational and is at the stage of complete frequency evaluation. In this paper, a brief review on atomic time along with some of the recent results from the fountain clock will be discussed.