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Title: Constructive polarization modulation for coherent population trapping clock

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4903862· OSTI ID:22395442
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. LNE-SYRTE, CNRS, UPMC, Observatoire de Paris, 61 Avenue de l'Observatoire, 75014 Paris (France)

We propose a constructive polarization modulation scheme for atomic clocks based on coherent population trapping (CPT). In this scheme, the polarization of a bichromatic laser beam is modulated between two opposite circular polarizations to avoid trapping the atomic populations in the extreme Zeeman sublevels. We show that if an appropriate phase modulation between the two optical components of the bichromatic laser is applied synchronously, the two CPT dark states which are produced successively by the alternate polarizations add constructively. Measured CPT resonance contrasts up to 20% in one-pulse CPT and 12% in two-pulse Ramsey-CPT experiments are reported, demonstrating the potential of this scheme for applications to high performance atomic clocks.

OSTI ID:
22395442
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 23; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English