Microcell atomic clock using laser current-actuated power modulation with 10−12 range stability at 1 day

We present a coherent-population trapping (CPT) microcell atomic clock using symmetric auto-balanced Ramsey (SABR) spectroscopy. The pulsed SABR sequence is applied through direct current-based power modulation of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser, eliminating the need for an external optical shutter and enabling compatibility with fully-integrated clocks. The sequence is controlled by a single FPGA-based digital electronics board. A key aspect of proper clock operation was the implementation of a real-time tracking of the atomic signal detection window. The clock frequency dependence on laser power, microwave power, laser frequency, and timing of the detection window has been measured, obtaining sensitivity coefficients lower than those obtained with Ramsey-CPT spectroscopy. The Allan deviation of the SABR-CPT clock, based on a microfabricated cell with low-permeation glass windows, is 8 × 10^-10 at 1 s and averages down in the 10^-12 range at 1 day. These results might stimulate the development of chip-scale atomic clocks using Ramsey-based sequences, with reduced light-shift sensitivity, and enhanced long-term stability performances.