Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 36, Number 1, October 1996
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 25 - 30 | |
Section | Atomic, molecular and optical physics | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i1996-00182-9 | |
Published online | 01 September 2002 |
An experimental study of the spin-exchange frequency shift in a laser-cooled cesium fountain frequency standard
1
LPTF/BNM - 61 Avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris 75014, France
2
NPL - Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW, UK
Received:
26
April
1996
Accepted:
14
August
1996
The spin-exchange frequency shift due to cold collisions between ground-state atoms
appears to be the systematic effect which could limit the accuracy of a laser-cooled
cesium fountain operating as a frequency standard. We have investigated this shift for
atoms distributed among all the Zeeman substates of either the F=4 or F=3
hyperfine level of the ground state of cesium and for the case where most of
the atoms are prepared in F=3, MF=0 sublevel. The measured relative frequency shifts are
respectively
,
and
. These results
agree with the measurements performed by Gibble and Chu at higher atom
densities with atoms prepared in F=3, MF=0 sublevel. However, the precision of our
frequency measurements is much better and is only limited at
by the
H-maser used as a reference oscillator. Finally, we show that the relative frequency
shift due to cold collisions can be reduced to 10-15, while preserving a
short-term frequency stability of about
.
PACS: 32.80.Pj – Optical cooling of atoms; trapping / 34.90.+q – Other topics in atomic and molecular collision processes and interactions / 42.50.Vk – Mechanical effects of light on atoms, molecules, electrons, and ions
© EDP Sciences, 1996
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