Progress on a Portable Rubidium Fountain Frequency Standard

P. D. Kunz, T. P. Heavner, and S. 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 redshift. Here, we describe the progress made on this project, including our recent observation of a magnetooptical trap (MOT), and the anticipated performance of our transportable Rb fountain frequency standard.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 40th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting December 1 - 4, 2008 Hyatt Regency Reston Town Center Reston, Virginia
Pages:	157 - 164
Cite this article:	Kunz, P. D., Heavner, T. P., Jefferts, S. R., "Progress on a Portable Rubidium Fountain Frequency Standard," Proceedings of the 40th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting, Reston, Virginia, December 2008, pp. 157-164.
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