A theoretical analysis of the discrimination characteristics of a two-circuit AFC system in a quantum frequency standard

Abstract

The theoretical discrimination characteristics of the AFC system of the quartz generator in a quantum frequency standard are obtained for the simultaneous operation of two AFC circuits: of the quartz generator as compared to the quantum discriminator and of the uhf resonator of the discriminator as compared to the frequency of the quartz generator. The sharpness of the discrimination characteristics is calculated as a function of the parameters of the phase-modulated signal (the modulation frequencies and indexes) and the discriminator (the width of the atomic-emission spectral line, the passband of the resonator, and the excitation parameter). The optimum modulation frequencies and indexes are determined. The effect of protraction of the quartz-generator frequency by the resonator is examined.