Design and metrological features of microwave synthesizers for atomic fountain frequency standard.
In this paper we describe the improved redesign of the microwave frequency synthesizers for Laboratoire National d'Essais-Systèmes de Référence Temps-Espace (LNE-SYRTE) atomic fountains. The synthesizers use a cryogenic oscillator to generate both Cs and Rb hyperfine frequencies based on a new distribution frequency of 1 GHz. The main metrological features (phase noise, long-term phase stability, and spectral purity) of the synthesizers have been measured in situ connected to an atomic fountain and are compatible with an accuracy goal of 10(-16) for the atomic fountains. The simultaneous test of two different synthesizers on the FO2 atomic fountain at the 10(-16) level also is reported.
Chambon
Damien
D
Laboratoire National d'Essais-Systèmes de Référence Temps-Espace (LNE-SYRTE), CNRS-UMR8630, Observatoire de Paris, 61, Av de l'Observatoire, Paris, France.
Lours
Michel
M
Chapelet
Frederic
F
Bize
Sebastien
S
Tobar
Michael E
ME
Clairon
Andre
A
Santarelli
Giorgio
G
D004581:Electronics; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005602:France; D008872:Microwaves; D009991:Oscillometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D012015:Reference Standards; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013997:Time Factors; D014159:Transducers