Review of chip-scale atomic clocks based on coherent population trapping

Research on chip-scale atomic clocks （CSACs） based on coherent population trapping （CPT） is reviewed. The back- ground and the inspiration for the research are described, including the important schemes proposed to improve the CPT signal quality, the selection of atoms and buffer gases, and the development of micro-cell fabrication. With regard to the re- liability, stability, and service life of the CSACs, the research regarding the sensitivity of the CPT resonance to temperature and laser power changes is also reviewed, as well as the CPT resonance＇s collision and light of frequency shifts. The first generation CSACs have already been developed but its characters are still far from our expectations. Our conclusion is that miniaturization and power reduction are the most important aspects calling for further research.

Ramsey-coherent population trapping Cs atomic clock based on lin‖lin optical pumping with dispersion detection

A Cs vapor cell-based atomic clock that uses a lin‖lin pumping scheme with dispersion detection is reported. This atomic clock shows potential for high performance because of its high contrast pumping scheme, and for miniaturization because of its simple architecture. The experimental setup and optimal operating parameters for the clock are introduced.The current fractional frequency stability is measured to be 1.3 × 10^-12/■ up to 20s and reaches 3.1 × 10^-13 at 200 s. We have thoroughly investigated the related noise sources that affect clock frequency stability at the 1s and 100s levels. The investigation shows that the laser frequency noise limits the clock frequency stability significantly. The clock performance can be further improved by technically upgrading the laser frequency stabilization setup.

CPT原子磁力仪转向差及其标定补偿

CPT原子磁力仪具有无方向盲区,并且在磁感应强度方向变化时可连续测量无需模式切换的特点,特别适合搭载在卫星、直升机等平台进行拖曳式探测。但是CPT原子磁力仪存在转向差问题,且探头剩磁干扰会影响转向差的补偿精度,进而影响其使用性能。本文针对CPT原子磁力仪转向差问题,分析了转向差机理,建立了探头剩磁补偿模型并进行了补偿,使用粒子群算法估计了剩磁参数,并使用剩磁补偿后的转向差离散点进行三次样条插值得到转向差曲线。试验结果表明:算法估计的探头剩磁在旋转面的投影分量大小为0.344 nT,方向与探头轴线垂直。在剩磁补偿前后,转向差补偿后的残差标准差由0.288 nT减小到0.132 nT,标准差减小了54%,有效提高了CPT原子磁力仪的使用性能。

High contrast atomic magnetometer based on coherent population trapping

We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of the coherent population trapping （CPT） resonance excited on the D1 line of 87Rb atoms by bichromatic linearly polarized laser light. The experimental results show that a lin｜｜lin tran- sition 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.

微型CPT原子钟泵浦方法试验研究

CPT原子钟是一种基于相干布居囚禁(CPT)原理的小型原子钟,其不含微波谐振腔的特点有利于降低物理系统的体积与功耗。为探索适用于微型CPT原子钟的泵浦方法,在物理系统体积、功耗和复杂度的限制下,选出单一圆偏振光、平行线偏振光和椭圆偏振光三种方法。基于6 mm×6 mm×6 mm的微型87Rb原子气室,搭建桌面系统测得三种方法下CPT共振信号的线宽和信噪比数据。结果表明微型CPT原子钟更适合采用椭圆偏振光方法。

Dependence of the ^(85)Rb coherent population trapping resonance characteristic on the pressure of N_2 buffer gas

In order to exploit its potential applications, we experimentally study the dependence of ^85 Rb-based coherent population trapping （CPTi resonance on N2 buffer gas with 6 vapor cells filled with natural rubidium and N2. The experiments are carried out at different pressures and temperatures, and the results reveal that higher cell temperature makes the resonance more sensitive to N2 pressure. Thus, it is importmlt to choose a proper buffer gas pressure at a given cell temperature. This work provides valuable data for the application of 85Rb CPT resonance with a buffer gas of N2.

Characterizing passive coherent population trapping resonance in a cesium vapor cell filled with neon buffer gas

We present a pair of phase-locked lasers with a 9.2-GHz frequency difference through the injection locking of a master laser to the RF-modulation sideband of a slave diode laser. Using this laser system, a coherent population trapping （CPT） signal with a typical linewidth of ～ 182 Hz is obtained in a cesium vapor cell filled with 30 Torr （4kPa） of neon as the buffer gas. We investigate the influence of the partial pressure of the neon buffer gas on the CPT linewidth, amplitude, and frequency shift. The results may offer some references for CPT atomic clocks and CPT atomic magnetometers.

冷原子光栅磁光阱的研制及CPT信号的探询

相干布居囚禁原子钟在小型化方面具备不可替代的优势。由于热原子气室内部高压缓冲气体的限制,导致其频率稳定度仍有进一步提升的空间。利用激光冷却原子技术作为替代,可以有效提升其中长期性能。然而,目前的冷原子物理系统仍然相对复杂,不利于原子钟整体系统的集成化和小型化。我们研制了高衍射效率光栅芯片、平面磁阱芯片以及微小型真空腔室,共同构建基于平面核心器件的磁光阱,利用单光束捕获冷原子2×106个。此外,为了简化CPT冷原子钟的激光系统,通过单激光结合时分复用系统的方式,仅用单一Rb D2线激光实现了原子冷却与CPT探询。以上的工作为将来实现微小型化高性能冷原子CPT钟的最终锁定和性能评估奠定了重要理论和技术基础。

High-performance coherent population trapping clock based on laser-cooled atoms

We present a coherent population trapping clock system based on laser-cooled^(87)Rb atoms.The clock consists of a frequency-stabilized CPT interrogation laser and a cooling laser as well as a compact magneto-optical trap,a highperformance microwave synthesizer,and a signal detection system.The resonance signal in the continuous wave regime exhibits an absorption contrast of~50%.In the Ramsey interrogation method,the linewidth of the central fringe is31.25 Hz.The system achieves fractional frequency stability of 2.4×10^(-11)/(√τ),which goes down to 1.8×10^(-13)at 20000 s.The results validate that cold atom interrogation can improve the long-term frequency stability of coherent population trapping clocks and holds the potential for developing compact/miniature cold atoms clocks.

Coherent population trapping magnetometer by differential detecting magneto–optic rotation effect

A pocket coherent population trapping（CPT） atomic magnetometer scheme that uses a vertical cavity surface emitting laser as a light source is proposed and experimentally investigated.Using the differential detecting magneto–optic rotation effect,a CPT spectrum with the background canceled and a high signal-to-noise ratio is obtained.The experimental results reveal that the sensitivity of the proposed scheme can be improved by half an order,and the ability to detect weak magnetic fields is extended one-fold.Therefore,the proposed scheme is suited to realize a pocket-size CPT magnetometer.

Phase-controlled coherent population trapping in superconducting quantum circuits

We investigate the influences of the-applied-field phases and amplitudes on the coherent population trapping behavior in superconducting quantum circuits. Based on the interactions of the microwave fields with a single A-type three-level fluxonium qubit, the coherent population trapping could be obtainable and it is very sensitive to the relative phase and amplitudes of the applied fields. When the relative phase is tuned to 0 or π, the maximal atomic coherence is present and coherent population trapping occurs. While for the choice of π/2, the atomic coherence becomes weak. Meanwhile, for the fixed relative phase π/2, the value of coherence would decrease with the increase of Rabi frequency of the external field coupled with two lower levels. The responsible physical mechanism is quantum interference induced by the control fields, which is indicated in the dressed-state representation. The microwave coherent phenomenon is present in our scheme, which will have potential applications in optical communication and nonlinear optics in solid-state devices.

Image transfer through coherent population trapping based on an atomic ensemble

We report on an experiment on transferring an image through coherent population trapping （CPT） effect in a hot rubidium vapor. We demonstrate experimentally that an image can be transferred from a control light to a probe light. Moreover, we describe the demonstration that the image can be transferred from a control light to two different probes showing a feasibility of transferring an image onto multiple probes. We believe that this effect definitely has important applications in image metrology, high dimensional information transfer in quantum information field, etc.

Atomic magnetometer with microfabricated vapor cells based on coherent population trapping

An atomic magnetometer based on coherent population trapping(CPT) resonances in microfabricated vapor cells is demonstrated. Fabricated by the micro-electro-mechanical-system(MEMS) technology, the cells are filled with Rb and Ne at a controlled pressure. An experimental apparatus is built for characterizing properties of microfabricated vapor cells via the CPT effects. The typical CPT linewidth is measured to be about 3 k Hz(1.46 k Hz with approximately zero laser intensity) for the rubidium D1 line at about 90℃. The effects of pressure, temperature and laser intensity on CPT linewidth are studied experimentally. A closed-loop atomic magnetometer is finally finished with a sensitivity of 210.5 p T/Hz1/2 at 1 Hz bandwidth. This work paves the way for developing an integrated chip-scale atomic magnetometer in the future.

高性能被动型CPT原子钟发展趋势

运用单一圆偏光构型达成CPT态会产生极化暗态使得CPT信号对比度较低。因此,传统的CPT原子钟频率稳定度指标不高。为提高CPT信号对比度从而提高CPT原子钟性能,各种消除极化暗态的方案不断被提出并获得研究,这些方案可以根据所使用的激光偏振状态及其产生方式分为平行线偏振光构型、相位延迟的σ^(+)-σ^(-)构型、推挽光泵浦构型、垂直线偏振光构型、偏振调制构型。基于这些方案的原理和发展水平,对比分析各个方案的优缺点和改进方案,可探索不同需求条件下高性能原子钟新的发展方向。

一种低功耗被动型CPT原子钟

介绍了一款新研制的被动型相干布局囚禁（CPT）原子钟样机及其主要性能。样机功耗约为4W，频率稳定度达到在τ〈8000s范围内优于6×10^-11τ^-1/2,10MHz输出频率在1Hz范围内的相位噪声达到-79．1dBc／Hz。所研制的CPT原子钟具有小型、低功耗的特点。

CPT磁力仪暗态耦合磁场测量技术

相干粒子数俘获(CPT)磁力仪是通过精确追踪光与原子相互作用下获得的透射信号来计算磁场强度的。针对由于透射信号的方向性衰减特性而造成的系统测量盲区的问题,提出了一种暗态耦合测量方案,通过使用特定频率的调制光场来实现多个暗态的同时激发和耦合测量,基于原子密度矩阵法建立了原子五能级系统模型并进行数值仿真研究,分析了该方案的控制条件和特点。实验结果证明,使用暗态耦合测量技术获得的透射信号幅值可以达到相同条件下单暗态测量时信号幅值的两倍左右,能够有效消除测量盲区,提高透射信号的信噪比,从而进一步提高CPT磁力仪的测量灵敏度。

基于CPT原子钟的VCSEL激光器控制系统设计

设计基于原子相干布居俘获原理(CPT)的原子钟系统中垂直腔面发射激光器(VCSEL)控制器,其包括20 mA量程、低噪声、精密直流稳流电源、介绍VCSEL控制系统组成和工作原理,并对VCSEL激光器系统进行了测试分析。结果表明,该控制系统可以实现单模态、窄线宽及低功耗稳定光源,对CPT原子钟VCSEL光源应用具有参考和使用价值。

相干布居囚禁振荡与拉曼失谐的关系

相干布居囚禁(CPT)振荡是一种基于CPT态而产生的瞬态振荡现象,与相干双色光频差和Λ型三能级结构原子基态能级间隔之间的拉曼失谐有关.本文采用锯齿波对微波信号进行频率调制,实现拉曼失谐均匀变化和阶跃变化.并通过建立频率调制速率和拉曼失谐变化速率之间的关系,分析拉曼失谐变化速率和变化方式对CPT振荡的影响.结果表明,当拉曼失谐均匀变化时,激发CPT态原子产生振荡现象需要满足变化速率较快的条件,且激发产生的振荡呈现非谐波振荡行为.当拉曼失谐发生阶跃变化时,激发产生的CPT振荡为阻尼振荡且振荡频率与失谐量相等.利用锯齿波进行微波频率调制,进而实现对拉曼失谐的调制,实现CPT态的完全建立和CPT振荡的完全衰减过程,在弱磁场测量和原子钟领域具有较大的应用潜力.

激光参量对CPT铷原子钟稳定度影响的数值分析

为具体分析激光参量对相干布居囚禁(CPT)原子钟的稳定度性能的影响,在Λ-型三能级原子系统模型的基础上,采用半经典密度矩阵方法,数值模拟计算了不同激光参量对CPT铷原子钟共振谱线信号的影响,并给出了比较分析。结果显示:两束激光强度的不对称对CPT钟信号强度的影响很大,而激光频率失谐对CPT钟信号影响较小;此外,当激光强度不对称与频率失谐同时存在时,荧光信号谱出现不对称,微波辐射信号发生频移。