Phase-Sensitive Optical Spectroscopy of a Laser-Cooled, Microwave Atomic Clock

Rachel Elvin

Research output: ThesisDoctoral Thesis

Abstract

This thesis reports on the experimental characterisation of an optically interrogated microwave frequency reference based on a compact source of cold atoms. The work addresses a method of reducing the complexity of cold-atom systems, plus the phase-sensitive optical interrogation of a microwave transition in rubidium.

Laser-cooling has provided the means for many significant developments in precision metrology, but the optical apparatus required is often large and bulky. The grating magneto-optical trap is a promising candidate for the realisation of a field-grade platform, from which we could build a portable atomic clock. The grating-MOT provided 10^7 rubidium atoms, cooled to sub-Doppler temperatures, as a test-bed for the characterisation of a microwave clock. The microwave interrogation of the ground state frequency splitting was applied optically using Ramsey-like interferometry and coherent population trapping technique in the Lin-Lin polarisation scheme. The theory and experimental techniques that were applied in the development of this system are described, and the short-term stability of the unlocked CPT apparatus is presented.
Original languageEnglish
QualificationPhD
Awarding Institution
  • University Of Strathclyde
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Griffin, Paul, Supervisor
  • Riis, Erling, Supervisor
Award date9 Dec 2019
Place of PublicationGlasgow
Publisher
Publication statusPublished - 9 Dec 2019

Keywords

  • optical spectroscopy
  • atomic clock

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