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Progress on a portable rubidium fountain frequency standard
Published
Author(s)
Paul D. Kunz, Thomas P. Heavner, Steven R. Jefferts
Abstract
We are developing a simple and transportable laser-cooled rubidium (Rb) atomic fountain frequency standard. The optical package for this system uses DFB (distributed feedback) diode lasers and a frequency offset locking scheme to generate the optical frequencies needed for laser-cooling, launching, post-cooling, and detection of Rb atoms. This atomic fountain will be useful as a transfer-standard and secondary standard for calibrating nontransportable frequency standards, as well as a measurement tool for the gravitational red-shift. Here we describe the progress made on this project, including our recent observation of a magneto-optical trap (MOT), and the anticipated performance of our transportable Rb fountain frequency standard.
Kunz, P.
, Heavner, T.
and Jefferts, S.
(2008),
Progress on a portable rubidium fountain frequency standard, Proc. 2008 PTTI Conf., Reston, VA, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=901230
(Accessed October 10, 2025)