Researchers at NIST have developed a new miniature atomic beam clock that could provide more stable timing over weeks and months compared to current systems. The chip-scale device, developed in collaboration with Georgia Tech, is a highly miniaturized version of traditional atomic beam clocks and could enable timekeeping in places where GPS signals are unavailable.
The new clock uses microfabrication techniques to create a postage stamp-sized device with a stack of etched silicon and glass layers. It contains a small pill of rubidium that releases a stream of atoms through microcapillaries, which are then collected by non-evaporable getters and graphite rods. While initial tests showed performance slightly worse than existing chip-scale atomic clocks, the team believes they can improve stability by another factor of 10 and exceed existing devices by 100 times over week time scales.
The development of this miniature atomic beam clock could enable timekeeping in underwater oil and gas exploration, military navigation, telecommunications, and other applications where GPS is unavailable. NIST has set up a collaboration with HRL Laboratories, CU Boulder, and Virginia Tech to explore further miniaturization of the technology.
Keywords: Metrology, Atomic, Precision, Vacuum, Microfabrication
