Cold atom clocks and applications

Abstract

This paper describes advances in microwave frequency standards using laser-cooled atoms at BNM-SYRTE. First, recent improvements of the $^{133}$Cs and $^{87}$Rb atomic fountains are described. Thanks to the routine use of a cryogenic sapphire oscillator as an ultra-stable local frequency reference, a fountain frequency instability of $1.6\\times 10^{-14}\\tau^{-1/2}$ where $\\tau $ is the measurement time in seconds is measured. The second advance is a powerful method to control the frequency shift due to cold collisions. These two advances lead to a frequency stability of $2\\times 10^{-16}$ at $50,000s for the first time for primary standards. In addition, these clocks realize the SI second with an accuracy of $7\\times 10^{-16}$, one order of magnitude below that of uncooled devices. In a second part, we describe tests of possible variations of fundamental constants using $^{87}$Rb and $^{133}$Cs fountains. Finally we give an update on the cold atom space clock PHARAO developed in collaboration with CNES. This clock is one of the main instruments of the ACES/ESA mission which is scheduled to fly on board the International Space Station in 2008, enabling a new generation of relativity tests.