[time-nuts] Corby Dawson Super 5065a work can I use a miniature Rubidium

[Robert Watson]

Actually some commercial rubidium clocks do use lasers. Check out the
Microsemi SA.3Xm family.

Nonetheless the point about the wavelength stability requirement is
absolutely the case. There are some papers published about the SA.3X
clocks. I can't post links to them, but a quick web search for "A
commercial CPT rubidium clock" by Deng et al. should reveal all.

R.

On 6 November 2016 at 02:56, <cdelect at juno.com> wrote:

> Anton,
>
> To answer both questions:
>
> You can use a Laser in place of the Rubidium lamp, however assuming the
> problem is the lamp it would be cheaper to buy several LPRO units to
> scavenge for a replacement lamp.
>
> How did you determine it's the lamp that is dead?
>
> Using a Laser is more complicated than it sounds. The Laser frequency has
> to be stabilized at the proper wavelength. This usually requires a
> combination of selecting the proper diode current as well as the proper
> temperature. Even then the diode ages and drifts away from the proper
> spot. Sometimes a separate Rubidium vapor cell is used to stabilize the
> frequency of the diode.
>
> The equipment to run the diode would take up MUCH more room than the
> LPRO!
>
> This is why you don't find commercial Rubidiums using Laser diodes! (YET)
>
> The Super modification will not work on the miniature Rubidiums.
> (although some do filter the lamp to get a better SN, however performance
> is not anywhere near a Super.)
>
> The 5065A has a large cell and runs at a low temperature, this offers the
> ideal stability and the chance to Super it.
>
> Even so not all 5065A can be Supered!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Corby Dawson
>
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