Prospects for Advances in Microwave Atomic Frequency Standards

F. L. Walls

Abstract:	This paper will focus on conceptual and component developments which could have a major impact on the performance of microwave atomic frequency standards. Traditional microwave standards based on rubidium, cesium and hydrogen have been greatly refined over the past decade, such that the frequency stability of the current generation of devices is generally limited by the basic concepts on which they are based, as well as the performance of various key subsystems. Future advances in ultimate frequency stability and environmental performance will primarily come from new conceptual developments, and only secondarily from improved components. These new advances will be explored in some detail and projections for possible performance improvements made for microwave frequency standards based on rubidium, cesium and hydrogen. Brief mention of a new class of standards based on stored ions will be made.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 11th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting November 27 - 29, 1979 Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland
Pages:	619 - 642
Cite this article:	Walls, F. L., "Prospects for Advances in Microwave Atomic Frequency Standards," Proceedings of the 11th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting, Greenbelt, Maryland, November 1979, pp. 619-642.
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