摘要 |
An atomic frequency standard based on the ground state hyperfine resonance line observed by means of coherent radiation fields creating Coherent Population Trapping (CPT) in an alkali metal atomic ensemble contained in a cell. The radiation fields are created by frequency modulating a laser at a subharmonic of the hyperfine resonance frequency of the alkali atomic ensemble chosen or by using two lasers whose frequency difference is equal to the hyperfine frequency of the alkali atoms. The hyperfine resonance signal is observed either on the fluorescence emitted by the alkali atoms contained in the cell or on the light transmitted through the same cell. This signal is used, through synchronous detection, to lock the frequency of the microwave generator used to modulate the laser (or to maintain the frequency difference between the two lasers), to the hyperfine resonance frequency of the alkali atoms, thereby implementing an atomic frequency standard. |