Speaker
Description
At the forefront of precise time measurement, atomic clocks stand as essential tools, offering unparalleled accuracy crucial for a multitude of applications in radio astronomy, navigation systems, telecommunications and scientific research. The aim of this project is to develop a laboratory-scale atomic clock based on a Rubidium gas cell, which is exposed to microwave radiation and illuminated by a laser source. The purpose of undertaking this research is to develop expertise in atomic time keeping techniques.
The research will commence with an in-depth exploration of atomic physics principles fundamental to atomic clock development, alongside investigations into atomic interactions with electromagnetic radiation. Subsequently, spectroscopic experiments will be conducted to precisely determine the transition frequency between the hyperfine ground states in rubidium atoms. Investigations in microwave cavity design and geometries will also be conducted. Thereafter, simulation software will
be used to realize the design of a microwave cavity with a geometry optimized for maximum interaction with the Rubidium atoms, to achieve high sensitivity and accuracy in the atomic clock.
Stable microwave signals will be generated to drive the atomic transitions. A local oscillator will provide a stable reference signal for phase-sensitive detection, while a frequency synthesizer will produce the final microwave signal at the precise atomic resonance frequency. Detection circuitry and feedback control mechanisms, together with other signal processing techniques, will be implemented to ensure the stability and accuracy of the atomic clock. The feedback mechanism, such as a phaselocked loop or frequency modulation, will adjust the microwave signal frequency based on atomic resonance measurements. A phase-sensitive detector will be used to measure phase differences between the reference and atomic signals, enabling real-time frequency adjustments.
Finally, to enable the translation of atomic timekeeping into practical applications, a time measurement and display system will be developed. This will involve the integration of timing circuits, microcontrollers and display interfaces. Thereafter, the atomic clock will be characterized to assess key performance parameters such a stability and accuracy.
In essence, this project seeks to create a microwave-based atomic clock by investigating the fundamental atomic principles and subsystems that make up the atomic clock. Future endeavours will explore extending these techniques to cold atoms, fostering expertise in atomic timekeeping.
