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Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference

GLACE: a technology demonstration experiment for laser cooled atomic clocks in space

William M. Klipstein, James M. Kohel, David J. Seidel, Robert J. Thompson, Lute Maleki, Kurt Gibble

Published Jan 20, 2003• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Summary form only given. The long observation times afforded by laser cooling of neutral atoms ushered in a new era of accuracy and stability for cesium atomic clocks. Traditional thermal beam atomic clocks are limited to interaction times of only a few milliseconds, while with laser cooling times of order 1 second have been realized with high stability. Most laser cooled clocks use a "fountain" geometry, in which the atoms are thrown up against the pull of gravity and realize longer times before falling back to the bottom of the apparatus. We have been developing a laser-cooling apparatus for flight on the International Space Station (ISS), with the intention of demonstrating linewidths of the cesium clock transition narrower than can be realized on the ground.

DOI
10.1109/qels.1999.807315

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Summary form only given. The long observation times afforded by laser cooling of neutral atoms ushered in a new era of accuracy and stability for cesium atomic clocks. Traditional thermal beam atomic clocks are limited to interaction times of only a few milliseconds, while with laser cooling times of order 1 second have been realized with high stability. Most laser cooled clocks use a "fountain" geometry, in which the atoms are thrown up against the pull of gravity and realize longer times before falling back to the bottom of the apparatus. We have been developing a laser-cooling apparatus for flight on the International Space Station (ISS), with the intention of demonstrating linewidths of the cesium clock transition narrower than can be realized on the ground.
The goals of the Glovebox Laser-cooled Atomic Clock Experiment (GLACE) are: (1) first utilization of tunable, frequency-stabilized lasers in space, (2) demonstrate laser cooling and trapping in microgravity, (3) demonstrate longest 'perturbation-free' interaction time for a precision measurement on neutral atoms, (4) Resolve Ramsey fringes 2-10 times narrower than achievable on Earth. The approach taken is: the use of COTS components, and the utilization of prototype hardware from LCAP flight definition experiments. The launch date is scheduled for Oct. 2002. The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) specifications are reviewed, and a picture of the MSG is shown.
We report on the development of flight technologies to be used in space-based, laser-cooled atomic clocks scheduled to fly on the International Space Station. The core technologies for these and future Laser Cooling and Atomic Physics (LCAP) missions are being developed in the Time and Frequency Sciences and Technology group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The focus is on high-risk components such as the laser and optics subsystem and mechanical shutters to provide light baffling while allowing quasi-continuous atomic beams through the clock.
A number of experimental applications of laser cooling of neutral atoms are described. In an experiment on atomic fountains, laser-cooled atoms pushed up on a vertical trajectory by radiation pressure were observed to turn around due to gravity. A compact cesium fountain that would give three to four orders of magnitude increase in the counting rate over the first experiment can be designed, and the trapping and cooling can be done with diode lasers, suggesting a practical clock. In order to increase the time-averaged flux of such a fountain and also create a continuous fountain, an atomic funnel that can produce an atomic beam of very low velocity ( approximately 270 cm/s) at densities of 10/sup 8/ atoms/cm/sup 2/ has been devised.>
The PARCS (Primary Atomic Reference Clock in Space) project is a joint NIST-JPL-University of Colorado venture aimed at placing a cesium (CS) atomic clock aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This orbiting clock will achieve high accuracy, in part due to the long Ramsey times afforded by the microgravity environment, and allow for precision tests of fundamental physics including relativity theory. As part of this effort, we are evaluating the characteristics of a prototype cold CS source based on launching atoms from an optical molasses. The apparatus described here will be used to develop other PARCS components such as the microwave cavity structure and detection systems, and to investigate two-dimensional cooling schemes for future CS fountains and space clocks.
The accelerated development of laser methods for manipulating the internal state and motion of atoms, and the recent primary evaluation in France of a cesium frequency standard using cold atoms in an atomic fountain configuration, allow the frontiers of time metrology, accuracy, and stability to be pushed near parts in the 1016 level, a factor of 100 over the present primary laboratory clocks. These positive results revived the development of more accurate cesium atomic clocks, and the Institute of National Measurement Standards (INMS), of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is undertaking a cesium-fountain project aimed at reaching these new levels of accuracy and stability. This paper reviews its present status. To appreciate the considerable impact of cold atoms in time and frequency metrology, we begin by recalling the background principles of traditional cesium frequency standards, their typical performance and main limitations. After introducing the important theoretical results essential to understanding the techniques of laser cooling and magneto-optical trapping, we focus on describing the characterization and control of our magneto-optical trap (MOT) and report the parameters that allow us to fill the trap with a few million atoms in less than a second and cool them to a temperature lower than 5 muK using optical molasses. We will describe the specifics of our cesium-fountain prototype, which operates with a 2-dimensional moving molasses. This special configuration is applicable for multipulse operation of the fountain, which can greatly relax the local oscillator requirements for time keeping. Finally, progress toward our objective of launching cooled atoms, at a rate of one ensemble per second, at speeds of 7 m/s, for a fountain with an interrogation time of about 1 s, will be analysed.PACS Nos.: 06.20, 06.30, and 32.80P
The PARCS (Primary Atomic Reference Clock in Space) project is a joint NIST-JPL-University of Colorado venture aimed at placing a cesium (Cs) atomic clock aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This orbiting clock will achieve high accuracy, in part due to the long Ramsey times afforded by the microgravity environment, and allow for precision tests of fundamental physics including relativity theory. As part of this effort, we are evaluating the characteristics of a prototype cold Cs source based on launching atoms from an optical molasses. The apparatus described will be used to develop other PARCS components such as the microwave cavity structure and detection systems, and to investigate two-dimensional cooling schemes for future Cs fountains and space clocks.