Phase-shift in vapor cell and compact cold-atom frequency standards

Abstract

We report on a theoretical analysis of the phase-shift in compact atomic clocks working either with cold or thermal atoms. It is well known that in a microwave cavity with electromagnetic losses, a traveling wave adds to the standing wave of a given resonant mode. We calculate the spatial varying phase related to this travelling wave for two geometries of interest in clock applications, the cylindrical cavity and the spherical cavity. Due to their motion, the atoms probe different regions of the cavity and then experience different phases of the interrogating microwave field. We show that this combination of atomic motion and spatial changing phase results in a phase-shift of the clock frequency, well known in primary frequency standards, that can affect the metrological performances also of vapor cell and compact cold-atom clocks. In the latter case, we evaluate the phase-shift for a space clock and a ground clock.