[time-nuts] Home built cesium clocks???

Bruce Griffiths bruce.griffiths at xtra.co.nz
Sun Jun 29 09:53:45 UTC 2008


Predrag Dukic wrote:
> Bruce,
>
> I need a primary standard, and hydrogen maser is not defined as such.
>
> I am working at the University of Split, Croatia,
>
> and I want to apply for Croatia's reference time and frequency 
> reference laboratory.
>
> At the moment that status is unassigned, because noone in the whole 
> country thinks that is important or that it pays off in any way.
>
> Every user that needs precise time or frequency relies on GPS, so it 
> is not possible to find  budget for anything like this.
>
> This is my personal initiative, and my own money....
>
> I can use some equipment from other University labs, but that is all.
>
> Predrag
>   
Pedrag

In which case optical pumping and detection using external cavity diode 
lasers (ECDLs) should be considered as this method greatly simplifies 
the Caesium beam tube by eliminating the hot wire ionizer, electron 
multiplier and state selection magnets. All optics can be external to 
the beam tube as long as appropriate windows are provided. If necessary 
you can build your own ECDL using either the Littrow or Littmann - 
Metcalf configurations. Such ECDLs have been built using off the shelf 
laser diodes without special AR coated endfaces. 100kHz stability isnt 
too onerous with adequate temperature control and suitable low expansion 
cavity spacers

http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/ptti/ptti2001/paper2.pdf

In principle it should be possible to lock the pump beam frequency to 
the desired Caesium transition.

Bruce




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