Abstract The atomic clocks, whether operating at optical or microwave region, can be divided into two categories according to their working mode, namely the passive clocks and active clocks. The passive clocks, whose standard frequency is locked to an ultra-narrow atomic spectral line, such as laser cooled Cs beam or lattice trapped Sr atoms, depend on the spontaneous emission line. On the contrary, the active clocks, in which the atoms are used as the gain medium, are based on the stimulated emission radiation, their spectrum can be directly used as the frequency standard. Up to now, the active hydrogen maser has been the most stable microwave atomic clocks. Also, the Sr superradiant active atomic clock is prospects for a millihertz-linewidth laser. Moreover, the optical clocks are expected to surpass the performance of microwave clocks both in stability and uncertainty, since their higher working frequency. The active optical clock has the potential to improve the stability of the best clocks by 2 orders of magnitude. In this work, we introduce the development of active optical clocks, and their types is classified according to the energy-level structure of atoms for stimulated radiation.Abstract The atomic clocks, whether operating at optical or microwave region, can be divided into two categories according to their working mode, namely the passive clocks and active clocks. The passive clocks, whose standard frequency is locked to an ultra-narrow atomic spectral line, such as laser cooled Cs beam or lattice trapped Sr atoms, depend on the spontaneous emission line. On the contrary, the active clocks, in which the atoms are used as the gain medium, are based on the stimulated emission radiation, their spectrum can be directly used as the frequency standard. Up to now, the active hydrogen maser has been the most stable microwave atomic clocks. Also, the Sr superradiant active atomic clock is prospects for a millihertz-linewidth laser. Moreover, the optical clocks are expected to surpass the performance of microwave clocks both in stability and uncertainty, since their higher working frequency. The active optical clock has the potential to improve the stability of the best clocks by 2 orders of magnitude. In this work, we introduce the development of active optical clocks, and their types is classified according to the energy-level structure of atoms for stimulated radiation.

AAPPS bulletinApr 24, 202318 citations

Experiments with Optical Clocks Based on Trapped Ions

E. Peik

JENAM 2010, Joint European and National Astronomy MeetingSep 1, 20100 citations

Dual-wavelength active optical clock

Zhichao Xu, Duo Pan, Wei Zhuang +1 more

We experimentally realize the dual-wavelength active optical clock for the first time. As the Cs cell temperature is kept between 118 $^{\circ }C$ and 144 $^{\circ }C$ , both the 1359 nm and the 1470 nm stimulated emission output of Cs four-level active optical clock are detected. The 1470 nm output linewidth of each experimental setup of Cs four-level active optical clock is measured to be 590 Hz with the main cavity length unstabilized. To stabilize the cavity length of active optical clock, the experimental scheme of 633 nm and 1359 nm good-bad cavity dual-wavelength active optical clock is proposed, where 633 nm and 1359 nm stimulated emission is working at good-cavity and bad-cavity regime respectively. The cavity length is stabilized by locking the 633 nm output frequency to a super-cavity with the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) technique. The frequency stability of 1359 nm bad-cavity stimulated emission output is then expected to be further improved by at least 1 order of magnitude than the 633 nm PDH system due to the suppressed cavity pulling effect of active optical clock, and the quantum limited linewidth of 1359 nm output is estimated to be 77.6 mHz.We experimentally realize the dual-wavelength active optical clock for the first time. As the Cs cell temperature is kept between 118 $^{\circ }C$ and 144 $^{\circ }C$, both the 1359 nm and the 1470 nm stimulated emission output of Cs four-level active optical clock are detected. The 1470 nm output linewidth of each experimental setup of Cs four-level active optical clock is measured to be 590 Hz with the main cavity length unstabilized. To stabilize the cavity length of active optical clock, the experimental scheme of 633 nm and 1359 nm good-bad cavity dual-wavelength active optical clock is proposed, where 633 nm and 1359 nm stimulated emission is working at good-cavity and bad-cavity regime respectively. The cavity length is stabilized by locking the 633 nm output frequency to a super-cavity with the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) technique. The frequency stability of 1359 nm bad-cavity stimulated emission output is then expected to be further improved by at least 1 order of magnitude than the 633 nm PDH system due to the suppressed cavity pulling effect of active optical clock, and the quantum limited linewidth of 1359 nm output is estimated to be 77.6 mHz.

arXiv:1407.1505Jul 6, 20142 citations

Optical lattice clocks

P. Lemonde

The European Physical Journal Special TopicsJun 1, 200934 citations

We experimentally realize the dual-wavelength active optical clock for the first time. As the Cs cell temperature is kept between 118

^{\circ }C

and 144

^{\circ }C

, both the 1359 nm and the 1470 nm stimulated emission output of Cs four-level active optical clock are detected. The 1470 nm output linewidth of each experimental setup of Cs four-level active optical clock is measured to be 590 Hz with the main cavity length unstabilized. To stabilize the cavity length of active optical clock, the experimental scheme of 633 nm and 1359 nm good-bad cavity dual-wavelength active optical clock is proposed, where 633 nm and 1359 nm stimulated emission is working at good-cavity and bad-cavity regime respectively. The cavity length is stabilized by locking the 633 nm output frequency to a super-cavity with the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) technique. The frequency stability of 1359 nm bad-cavity stimulated emission output is then expected to be further improved by at least 1 order of magnitude than the 633 nm PDH system due to the suppressed cavity pulling effect of active optical clock, and the quantum limited linewidth of 1359 nm output is estimated to be 77.6 mHz.