arXiv subjects

Alain Michaud

Publications and source records attributed to Alain Michaud.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2005

Experimental Study of the Laser Diode Pumped Rubidium Maser

We report the operation of a $^{87}$Rb maser in the self-oscillating mode, using a laser diode as the optical pumping source. The maser uses a TE$_{021}$ cavity surrounding a cell containing the atoms and 11 Torr of N$_{2}$ as the buffer gas. The optical pumping is accomplished by using a commercial laser diode frequency-locked on the linear absorption line of an external rubidium cell. The maser output power is maximized when the laser spectrum is spread by modulating its frequency through the variation of its injection current. The maser output power is also presented for various modulation waveforms and frequencies. We find that the spurious sidebands induced by the modulation can be minimized. Finally, the linear dependence between the laser and maser frequencies is shown. We find that the relative maser frequency pulling from the laser is about $4.6 \times 10^{-3}$.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2005

Microwave Power Standard using Cold Atoms

We discuss how the observation of Rabi flopping oscillations in a laser cooled atomic sample could be used as a microwave power standard. The rubidium atoms are first trapped in a standard MOT, then optically pumped, and dropped. As they enter the interaction region, a resonant pulsed microwave field is applied. Following the interaction lasting up to 10 ms, a probe laser beam is turned on and the fluorescence measures the population inversion.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2005

Accuracy of an Atomic Microwave Power Standard (Conference digest)

We have studied the accuracy of the atomic microwave power standard. The atoms are cooled and kept in a Magneto-Optical Trap (MOT), then dropped through a terminated transmission line (a rectangular, R-70 type, waveguide). The measurement of the internal atomic state allows an accurate determination of the transmitted microwave power.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2005

Realization of a Laser Cooled Microwave Power Standard (conference digest)

We demonstrate the feasibility of a novel microwave power standard based on the electromagnetic interaction with cold atoms. Under the effect of the radiation, the internal state populations will undergo a Rabi oscillation. The measurement of its frequency will allow the determination of the electromagnetic field strength.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2005

Accuracy of an Atomic Microwave Power Standard

We have built an atomic microwave power standard based on the electromagnetic interaction with laser-cooled atoms. The atoms traversed a waveguide transmission line, and under the effect of the radiation, the internal state populations underwent a Rabi flopping oscillation. Measurement of the oscillation frequency allowed the determination of the incident microwave power. As many of 60 oscillations were observed over a dynamic range of 20 dB and the standard deviation of the measurements was about 0.02%. The measured frequency was compared to a calculated one and an agreement of 1.3% with an uncertainty of 5% (rectangular) was found.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2005

Realization of a Laser Cooled Microwave Power Standard

We demonstrate the feasibility of a novel microwave power standard based on the electromagnetic interaction with laser-cooled atoms. Under the effect of the radiation, the internal state populations undergo a Rabi flopping oscillation. Measurement of the oscillation frequency allows the determination of the electromagnetic field strength. The measurements are made over a dynamic range of 18 dB and the standard deviation of the measurements is about 0.3%. The field strength was linear with the Rabi frequency within the accuracy of our measurements.

physics.atom-ph↗