Microfabricated Atomic Clocks

Published

January 1, 2005

Author(s)

John E. Kitching, Svenja A. Knappe, Li-Anne Liew, P Schwindt, V Shah, John M. Moreland, Leo W. Hollberg

Abstract

We describe recent progress at NIST in the development of compact, low-power atomic frequency references based on microfabrication processes. The physics packages of these frequency references have a volume near 10 cm³, require less than 100 mW of power to operate and achieve a fractional frequency instability near 10^-10 at one hour of integration. It is anticipated that a complete frequency reference could be constructed based on this type of physics package with a total volume below 1 cm³, a power dissipation near 30 mW and a fractional frequency instability below 10^-11 at one hour of integration. Such a device would enable the use of atomically precise timing in applications that require battery operation and portability such as hand-held GPS receivers and wireless communication systems.

Citation

Metrologia

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

atomic clock, atomic frequency reference, coherent population trapping, MEMS, micromachining

Citation

Kitching, J. , Knappe, S. , Liew, L. , Schwindt, P. , Shah, V. , Moreland, J. and Hollberg, L. (2005), Microfabricated Atomic Clocks, Metrologia (Accessed October 27, 2025)