26-011 Ultra-stable two-photon Rb microcell optical frequency reference

Mission

With the contribution of atomic spectroscopy, MEMS technologies and integrated photonics, miniaturized atomic clocks, sensors and instruments have been developed for around 20 years. This field of research, initiated in 2004 with the demonstration at NIST of the first microwave chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC), has since experienced growing popularity, due to its strategic interest and the plethora of applications (GNSS, secure communications, PNT systems, etc.) it covers. 

Current commercial CSACs lose about 1 microsecond per day, a hundred times less than quartz oscillators, within a comparable volume-consumption budget. However, the frequency noise of their laser (VCSEL) limits their short-term frequency stability while the presence of a buffer gas pressure in their cell induces a collisional shift that compromise their long-term stability.

Recent years have seen a relevant interest towards the development of new-generation miniaturized op...