AOSENSE, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N181-037

Description

Precise timing underlies much of the modern infrastructure we depend upon to distribute information, energy, and goods. Frequency standards based on Rb vapor cells are widely deployed and have been validated over decades of continuous operation, but suffer from drift which limits their ability to maintain precise timing over long periods. AOsense proposes to research two enabling technologies which would address the largest sources of drift in vapor-cell rubidium clocks. This work will pave the way for the design and demonstration of a low-SWaP atomic clock with instability 1E-12/T^0.5 for 1 s < T < 1E4 s, flicker floor of 1E-14, frequency drift below 1E-11/month, volume < 1 liter, and power draw < 10 W.