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arXiv:0910.4703 · Physical Review A

Coherent-population-trapping resonances with linearly polarized light for all-optical miniature atomic clocks

Sergei A. Zibrov, Irina V. Novikova, David F. Phillips, Ronald Lee Walsworth, Alexander S. Zibrov, Vladimir L Velichansky, А. В. Тайченачев, Valeriy I. Yudin

Published Jan 28, 2010• 112 citations
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Abstract

We present a joint theoretical and experimental characterization of the coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance excited on the ${D}_{1}$ line of $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms by bichromatic linearly polarized laser light. We observe high-contrast transmission resonances (up to $\ensuremath{\approx}25%$), which makes this excitation scheme promising for miniature all-optical atomic clock applications. We also demonstrate cancellation of the first-order light shift by proper choice of the frequencies and relative intensities of the two laser-field components. Our theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the experimental results.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.81.013833

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We present a joint theoretical and experimental characterization of the coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance excited on the D1{D}_{1}D1​ line of 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb atoms by bichromatic linearly polarized laser light. We observe high-contrast transmission resonances (up to \ensuremath≈25\ensuremath{\approx}25%\ensuremath≈25), which makes this excitation scheme promising for miniature all-optical atomic clock applications. We also demonstrate cancellation of the first-order light shift by proper choice of the frequencies and relative intensities of the two laser-field components. Our theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the experimental results.
We report on the performance of the first table-top prototype atomic clock based on coherent population trapping (CPT) resonances with parallel linearly polarized optical fields (lin‖lin configuration). Our apparatus uses a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) tuned to the D1 line of 87Rb with the current modulation at the 87Rb hyperfine frequency. We demonstrate cancellation of the first-order light shift by the proper choice of rf modulation power and further improve our prototype clock stability by optimizing the parameters of the microwave lock loop. Operating in these optimal conditions, we measured a short-term fractional frequency stability (Allan deviation) 2×10−11τ−1/2 for observation times 1 s ≤ τ ≤ 20 s. This value is limited by large VCSEL phase noise and environmental temperature fluctuation. Further improvements in frequency stability should be possible with an apparatus designed as a dedicated lin‖lin CPT resonance clock with environmental impacts minimized.
We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of the coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance excited on the D1 line of 87 Rb atoms by bichromatic linearly polarized laser light. The experimental results show that a lin ‖ lin transition scheme is a promising alternative to the conventional circular—circular transition scheme for an atomic magnetometer. Compared with the circular light transition scheme, linear light accounts for high-contrast transmission resonances, which makes this excitation scheme promising for high-sensitivity magnetometers. We also use linear light and circular light to detect changes of a standard magnetic field, separately.
We have experimentally demonstrated that magnetic-field-insensitive coherent-population-trapping (CPT) resonances are generated between the ground hyperfine levels on the D1{D}_{1}D1​ line of 133Cs^{133}\mathrm{Cs}133Cs using a two-photon $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ scheme excited by lin||lin polarizations. The frequency shift of the CPT resonance is 0.04 Hz for the deviation of $1\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{T}$ at a ``magic'' magnetic field of $139\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{T}$ and is 50 times smaller than that of the conventional clock transition at a typical bias magnetic field for the clock operation. The amplitude of the CPT spectrum excited by lin||lin polarizations is enhanced as the excitation intensity increases and is well explained by the three-level model without trap levels. Thus, the CPT resonance on the D1{D}_{1}D1​ line of 133Cs^{133}\mathrm{Cs}133Cs excited by a simple lin||lin scheme will be one of the best candidates for frequency reference of miniature atomic clocks.
State-of-the-art miniature atomic clocks (MACs) are based on the phenomenon of coherent population trapping (CPT) in alkali-metal atomic vapors (Rb\mathrm{Rb}Rb or Cs\mathrm{Cs}Cs). Improving the stability of the clock frequency is a crucial issue; resolving it would result in significant progress in numerous applications. Here, we examine the configuration of the light field, which is composed of two bichromatic beams with opposing handedness of circular polarization. The beams are in resonance with optical transitions in the Cs\mathrm{Cs}Cs D1{D}_{1}D1​ line ($\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\approx}895$ nm). This configuration has previously been shown to produce observed CPT resonances with higher contrast than a standard single-beam scheme; however, our scheme implements pump and probe beams that operate independently, with the transmission of the probe beam being monitored separately. This approach differs from previous studies. The experiments are carried out using a cubic $5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}5\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{mm}}^{3}$ vapor cell filled with buffer gas. It is shown that the line shape of the resonance acquires an asymmetry that can be efficiently controlled by a microwave (Raman) phase between the beams. As a proof of concept, we study the way in which this asymmetry can help to mitigate the influence of the ac Stark (light) shift on the long-term frequency stability of CPT clocks based on vapor microcells ($V\ensuremath{\ll}1\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$). Experimental verification is performed with both a distributed-Bragg-reflector laser and a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. The latter is of particular importance for the development of MACs. The experimental results are in qualitative agreement with the analytical theory based on a double-$\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ scheme of atomic energy levels.
Coherent population trapping (CPT) atomic clocks are prevailingly realized by exciting CPT resonance with circularly polarized bichromatic coherent light (σ+-σ+ scheme), while atom utilization efficiency is relatively low in the scheme. For improving efficiency, we experimentally study the scheme of realizing CPT resonance through the interaction between atoms and parallel linearly polarized bichromatic coherent light field (lin//lin scheme). In the same experimental conditions the experimental results show that the signal-noise ratio of the CPT resonance signal is twice, and the differential slope is 1.65 time higher than those of σ+-σ+ scheme. The experimental results reveal that the scheme is an ideal candidate for low power consuming atomic clock and magnetometer.
We report an experimental study of an all-optical three-photon-absorption resonance (known as an ``NNN resonance'') and discuss its potential application as an alternative to atomic clocks based on coherent population trapping. We present measurements of the NNN-resonance contrast, width and light shift for the D1{D}_{1}D1​ line of 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb with varying buffer gases, and find good agreement with an analytical model of this resonance. The results suggest that NNN resonances are promising for atomic clock applications.