Abstract
Active optical clock, a new conception of atomic clock, has been proposed recently. In this work, we propose a scheme of active optical clock based on four-level quantum system. The final accuracy and stability of two-level quantum system are limited by second-order Doppler shift of thermal atomic beam. To three-level quantum system, they are mainly limited by light shift of pumping laser field. These limitations can be avoided effectively by applying the scheme proposed here. Rubidium atom four-level quantum system, as a typical example, is discussed. The population inversion between 6S 1/2 and 5P 3/2 states can be built up at a time scale of 10−6 s. With the mechanism of active optical clock, in which the cavity mode linewidth is much wider than that of the laser gain profile, it can output a laser with quantum-limited linewidth narrower than 1 Hz in theory. An experimental configuration is designed to realize this active optical clock.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Chen J B. Active optical clock. Chin Sci Bull, 2009, 54: 348–352
Chen J B, Chen X Z. Optical lattice laser. In: Proceedings of International Frequency Control Symposium, 2005 Aug 29–31, Vancouver, Washington DC: IEEE, 2005. 608–610
Wang Y Q. Optical clocks based on stimulated emission radiation. Chin Sci Bull, 2009, 54: 347
Zhuang W, Yu D S, Chen J B. Optical clock based on quantum emitters. In: Proceedings of International Frequency Control Symposium, 2006 June 5–7, Florida, Washington DC: IEEE, 2006. 277–280
Zhuang W, Chen J B. Beyond one-second laser coherence via active optical atomic clock. In: Proceedings of 20th European Frequency and Time Forum, 2006 Mar 27–30, Braunschweig, Germany, 2006. 373–375
Zhuang W, Yu D S, Chen Z H, et al. Proposed active optical frequency standards based onmagneto-optical trap trapped atoms. In: Proceedings of European Frequency and Time Forum and International Frequency Control Symposium, 2007 May 29–June 1, Geneva, Washington DC: IEEE, 2007. 96–99
Yu D S, Chen J. Laser theory with finite atom-field interacting time. Phys Rev A, 2008, 78: 013846
Chen J B. Active optical clock. In: Proceedings of the 7th Frequency Standards and Metrology Symposium, 2008 Oct 5–11, California, Washington DC: IEEE, 2008. 525–531
Meiser D, Ye J, Carlson D R, et al. Prospects for a millihertz-linewidth laser. Phys Rev Lett, 2009, 102: 163601
Meiser D, Holland M J. Steady-state superradiance with alkaline-earthmetal atoms. Phys Rev A, 2010, 81: 033847
Xie X P, Zhuang W, Chen J B. Adiabatic passage based on the Calcium active optical clock. Chin Phys Lett, 2010, 27: 074202
Zhuang W, Chen J B. Progress of active optical frequency standard based on thermal Ca atomic beam. In: Proceeding of International Frequency Control Symposium, 2010 June 2–4, California, Washington DC: IEEE, 2010. 222–223
Zhuang W, Chen J B. Feasibility of extreme ultraviolet active optical clock. Chin Phys Lett, 2011, 28: 080601
Zhuang W, Yu D S, Liu Z W, et al. Multi-threshold second-order phase transition in laser. Chin Sci Bull, 2011, 56: 3812–3816
Sterr U, Lisdat C. Millihertz-linewidth lasers: A sharper laser. Nat Phys, 2009, 5: 382–383
Qi R, Yu X L, Li Z B, et al. Non-Abelian Josephson effect between two F = 2 spinor Bose-Einstein condensates in double optical traps. Phys Rev Lett, 2009, 102: 185301
Ji A C, Sun Q, Xie X C, et al. Josephson Effect for Photons in two weakly Linked microcavities. Phys Rev Lett, 2009, 102: 023602
Ji A C, Liu W M, Song J L, et al. Dynamical creation of fractionalized vortices and vortex lattices. Phys Rev Lett, 2008, 101: 010402
Kuppens S J M, van Exter M P, Woerdman J P. Quantum-limited linewidth of a bad-cavity laser. Phys Rev Lett, 1994, 72: 3815–3818
An K, Feld M S. Semiclassical four-level single-atom laser. Phys Rev A, 1997, 56: 1662–1665
An K. Semiclassical theory of the many-atom microlaser. J Korean Phys Soc, 2003, 42: 505–517
Kessler T, Hagemann C, Grebin C, et al. A sub-40 mHz linewidth laser based on a silicon single-crystal optical cavity. 2011, arXiv: 1112.3854v1
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Rights and permissions
This article is published under an open access license. Please check the 'Copyright Information' section either on this page or in the PDF for details of this license and what re-use is permitted. If your intended use exceeds what is permitted by the license or if you are unable to locate the licence and re-use information, please contact the Rights and Permissions team.
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, T., Wang, Y., Zang, X. et al. Active optical clock based on four-level quantum system. Chin. Sci. Bull. 58, 2033–2038 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-013-5877-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-013-5877-0