Atomic trajectories in compact cesium-beam clocks

Abstract

The author presents accurate calculations of atomic trajectories in conventional CBTs (cesium-beam tubes) using dispersive two-wire field magnets, and also in a novel configuration using two orthogonal one-dimensional focusing dipoles of the type described P. Kartaschoff (1974). In the first configuration, the author explains the observed differences in atomic velocity distribution in terms of small variations in the oven and/or detector offsets. The second configuration yields beam intensities that are significantly higher than the ones obtained with dispersive magnets and/or substantially lower atomic velocities, and thus could improve the frequency stability of compact cesium clocks in the white-noise regime. The present design differs from Kartaschoff's prescription in that a 1-D focusing dipole, rather than a hexapole or quadrupole magnet, is used as the A magnet in the CBT, making the tube manufacturing simpler.