Title :
Low-phase-noise frequency synthesizer for the trapped atom clock on a chip
Author :
Ramírez-Martínez, Fernando ; Lours, Michel ; Rosenbusch, Peter ; Reinhard, Friedemann ; Reichel, Jakob
Author_Institution :
Syst. de Reference Temps-Espace (SYRTE), Obs. de Paris, Paris, France
Abstract :
We report on the realization of a 6.834-GHz synthesis chain for the trapped atom clock on a chip (TACC) that is being developed at LNE-SYRTE. The chain is based on the frequency multiplication of a 100-MHz reference signal to obtain a signal at 6.4 GHz. It uses a comb generator based on a monolithic GaAs nonlinear transmission line. This is a novelty in the fabrication of high-stability microwave synthesizers. Measurements give a low flicker phase noise of -85 dBrad2/Hz at 1-Hz offset frequency and a white phase noise floor < -115 dBrad2/Hz. Based on these results, we estimate that the performance of the synthesizer is at least one order of magnitude better than the stability goal of TACC. This ensures that the synthesizer will not be limiting the clock performance.
Keywords :
atomic clocks; frequency multipliers; frequency synthesizers; microwave devices; transmission lines; LNE-SYRTE; TACC; comb generator; frequency 6.834 GHz; high stability microwave synthesizers; low phase noise frequency synthesizer; monolithic gallium arsenide nonlinear transmission line; reference signal frequency multiplication; trapped atom clock on a chip; Clocks; Fabrication; Frequency conversion; Frequency estimation; Frequency measurement; Frequency synthesizers; Gallium arsenide; Phase noise; Signal synthesis; Transmission line measurements; Computer-Aided Design; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems; Microwaves; Oscillometry; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Time Factors;
Journal_Title :
Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TUFFC.2010.1383
