The JPL Hg+ Extended Linear Ion Trap Frequency Standard: Status, Stability, and Accuracy Prospects

R. L. Tjoelker, J. D. Prestage, L. Maleki

Abstract:	Microwave frequency standards based on room temperature Hg+ ions in a Linear Ion Trap (LITS) presently achieve a signal-to-noise and line-Q-inferred short-term frequency stability of or(r) = 2x10^-14/r^1/2. Long-term stability has been measured for averaging intervals up to 5 months with apparent sensitivity to variations in ion number/temperature limiting the flicker floor to about 5x10^-l6 at 100,000 seconds. A two-segment version of the linear ion trap (LITE) has also recently demonstrated excellent frequency stability for measurement intervals up to one week. Nearly an order of magnitude improvement in long-term stability compared to the LITS is expected since this trap configuration operates with reduced linear ion density during the microwave interrogation period.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 28th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting December 3 - 5, 1996 Hyatt Regency Reston Town Center Reston, Virginia
Pages:	245 - 254
Cite this article:	Tjoelker, R. L., Prestage, J. D., Maleki, L., "The JPL Hg+ Extended Linear Ion Trap Frequency Standard: Status, Stability, and Accuracy Prospects," Proceedings of the 28th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting, Reston, Virginia, December 1996, pp. 245-254.
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