Microwave power level stabilizing circuit for cesium beam frequency standards

摘要

Perceived atomic resonance frequency error resulting from microwave power level changes in atomic clocks is eliminated by controlling the device's microwave power source output in response to deviations from a fixed frequency relationship between the main atomic peak and a sidelobe peak of the atomic beam frequency spectrum. This is accomplished by a microwave power control servo system that includes a time sharing interrogation circuit for detecting and monitoring the frequencies of the main atomic peak and the sidelobe peak and a comparator that compares the frequencies of the main atomic and sidelobe peaks and generates a feedback control signal in response to frequency differences between the two that deviate from a fixed difference frequency. The feedback signal is used to control the microwave power source output in a manner that constrains the main atomic peak and the sidelobe peak at a fixed offset frequency.