A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR THE ON-ORBIT CHARACTERIZATION OF CESIUM BEAM TUBE PERFORMANCE

S.K. Karuza, J.P. Hurrell, W.A. Johnson

Abstract:	A number of cesium beam tube atomic standards have exhibited a decreasing beam tube current with time. No test presently performed allows discrimination between the possible causes of this decrease. Also, no test presently performed measures tube signal-to-noise performance directly, accurately, and quickly. This paper describes such a test, which non-invasively measures the tube signal-to-noise performance, while possibly providing information to discriminate between causes of decreasing beam tube current. The technique characterizes ces 1 um beam tube performance without measuring clock frequency stability. Consequently, no extensive analysis of long-term data is required.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 18th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting December 2 - 4, 1986 DuPont Plaza Hotel Washington, DC
Pages:	321 - 329
Cite this article:	Karuza, S.K., Hurrell, J.P., Johnson, W.A., "A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR THE ON-ORBIT CHARACTERIZATION OF CESIUM BEAM TUBE PERFORMANCE," Proceedings of the 18th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting, Washington, DC, December 1986, pp. 321-329.
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