In-orbit operation of an atomic clock based on laser-cooled 87Rb atoms

Liang Liu (), Lü De-Sheng (), Wei-Biao Chen (), Tang Li, Qiu-Zhi Qu, Bin Wang, Lin Li, Wei Ren, Zuo-Ren Dong, Jian-Bo Zhao, Wen-Bing Xia, Xin Zhao, Jing-Wei Ji, Mei-Feng Ye, Yan-Guang Sun, Yuan-Yuan Yao, Dan Song, Zhao-Gang Liang, Shan-Jiang Hu, Dun-He Yu, Xia Hou, Wei Shi, Hua-Guo Zang, Jing-Feng Xiang, Xiang-Kai Peng and Yu-Zhu Wang
Additional contact information
Liang Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lü De-Sheng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wei-Biao Chen: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tang Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Qiu-Zhi Qu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Bin Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lin Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wei Ren: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zuo-Ren Dong: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jian-Bo Zhao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wen-Bing Xia: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xin Zhao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jing-Wei Ji: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Mei-Feng Ye: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yan-Guang Sun: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yuan-Yuan Yao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dan Song: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhao-Gang Liang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shan-Jiang Hu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dun-He Yu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xia Hou: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wei Shi: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hua-Guo Zang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jing-Feng Xiang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xiang-Kai Peng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yu-Zhu Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Atomic clocks based on laser-cooled atoms are widely used as primary frequency standards. Deploying such cold atom clocks (CACs) in space is foreseen to have many applications. Here we present tests of a CAC operating in space. In orbital microgravity, the atoms are cooled, trapped, launched, and finally detected after being interrogated by a microwave field using the Ramsey method. Perturbing influences from the orbital environment on the atoms such as varying magnetic fields and the passage of the spacecraft through Earth’s radiation belt are also controlled and mitigated. With appropriate parameters settings, closed-loop locking of the CAC is realized in orbit and an estimated short-term frequency stability close to 3.0 × 10−13τ−1/2 has been attained. The demonstration of the long-term operation of cold atom clock in orbit opens possibility on the applications of space-based cold atom sensors.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05219-z

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