NIST physicists have developed a new method to generate ultra-low-noise microwave signals using advanced laser technologies. The new system, based on optical frequency combs, produces the most stable microwave signals ever created at room temperature. This could significantly improve signal stability and resolution in radar, communications, navigation systems, and atomic clocks.
The key innovation is transferring the high stability of optical signals to microwaves through a frequency comb. This greatly reduces phase noise in the microwave signals, resulting in a stronger, purer signal at the exact desired frequency. The system could be particularly useful in radar systems for detecting faint or slow-moving objects, and for improving the stability of current cesium atomic clocks.
The research, published in Nature Photonics, demonstrates a new approach to generating ultra-stable microwave signals that could have far-reaching applications across various fields.
Keywords: Frequency Combs, Microwave Signals, Optical Frequency Division, Laser Technologies, Atomic Clocks
