Coherent population trapping resonances in Cs-Ne vapor microcells for miniature clocks applications

We report the characterization of dark line resonances observed in Cs vapor microcells filled with a unique neon (Ne) buffer gas. The impact on the coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance of some critical external parameters such as laser intensity, cell temperature, and microwave power is studied. We show the suppression of the first-order light shift by proper choice of the microwave power. The temperature dependence of the Cs ground state hyperfine resonance frequency is shown to be canceled in the 77-80 degrees C range for various Ne buffer gas pressures. The necessity to adjust the Ne buffer gas pressure or the cell dimensions to optimize the CPT signal height at the frequency inversion temperature is pointed out. Based on such Cs-Ne microcells, we preliminary demonstrate a 852 nm vertical cavity surface emitted laser (VCSEL)-modulated based CPT atomic clock exhibiting a short term fractional frequency instability sigma(y)(tau)=1.5x10(-10)tau(-1/2) until 30 s. These results, similar to those published in the literature by others groups, prove the potential of our original microcell technology in view of the development of high-performance chip scale atomic clocks. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3530951]