CPT chip-scale atomic clock with direct-modulation chip-external cavity diode laser

Abstract

Chip-scale atomic clocks are critical for applications requiring compact, energy-efficient, and highly stable timing, such as GPS receivers and communication systems. Coherent population trapping (CPT)-based atomic clocks, which commonly use vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), have enabled significant miniaturization. However, their precision is limited by the broad linewidth of VCSELs. Alternative laser technologies, such as distributed Bragg reflector lasers, distributed feedback lasers, and external cavity diode lasers (ECDLs), offer potential improvements but face challenges in achieving compact size and adequate modulation bandwidth. This study presents a 795 nm chip-ECDL with a direct modulation bandwidth up to 4 GHz, specifically designed for CPT chip-scale atomic clocks. Based on the chip-ECDL, a CPT atomic clock with a compact volume of 19.4 ml and power consumption of 1.5 W has been developed. Under identical operating conditions, the CPT signal produced by the chip-ECDL exhibits a 34% reduction in linewidth and a 1.14-fold increase in contrast compared to a VCSEL-based clock. Demonstrating short-term stability better than 5×10−11τ−1/2(1 s<τ<2000 s) and reaching a best stability of 6.6×10−13 at 2000 s, this work represents the application of an ECDL in a CPT chip-scale clock, advancing the development of next-generation, high-performance chip-scale atomic clocks.