Atomic hydrogen spin-exchange collisions in a cryogenic maser

Author

Hayden, Michael E. ; Hurlimann, M.D. ; Hardy, Walter N.

Author_Institution

Lab. de Spectrosc. Hertzienne, l´´Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, France

Volume

42

Issue

2

fYear

1993

fDate

4/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

314

Lastpage

319

Abstract

The results of an experiment in which the oscillation frequency of a cryogenic hydrogen (H) maser is studied as a function of the H density and the 1420-MHz resonator tuning are presented. The results are interpreted in terms of a theory which predicts that hyperfine interactions between colliding H atoms should include a frequency shift not predicted by classical spin-exchange theories. This effect has the potential to limit the ultimate frequency stability of H masers operating at cryogenic temperatures. The authors found qualitative agreement between the data and the magnitude of the predicted frequency shift. The sign of the effect which is observed however, is unmistakably opposite to that predicted by theory

Keywords

Lamb shift; atom-atom collisions; atomic hyperfine structure; frequency stability; hydrogen neutral atoms; low-temperature techniques; masers; 1420 MHz; H density; cryogenic maser; frequency shift; frequency stability; frequency standard; hyperfine interactions; oscillation frequency; resonator tuning; spin-exchange collisions; spin-exchange theories; Availability; Cryogenics; Frequency; Hydrogen; Masers; Oscillators; Stability; Temperature; Time measurement; Tuning;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Instrumentation and Measurement, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9456

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/19.278573

Filename

278573