[time-nuts] Symmetricom CSAC is Cs acting like a Rb unit

Bob Camp lists at rtty.us
Tue Jan 18 22:54:57 UTC 2011


Hi

In this case, it's an itty bitty gizmo that has some significant compromises in performance compared to it's bigger cousins. 

Bob


On Jan 18, 2011, at 5:47 PM, William H. Fite wrote:

> Oh gosh, it would never, EVER do to find a li'l bitty product that performs
> as well as our big ole spare rooms full of costly, bulky, heavy, mostly
> antiquated equipment.  [?]
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jan 18, 2011 at 5:10 PM, Bob Camp <lists at rtty.us> wrote:
> 
>> Hi
>> 
>> Simply having cesium in it does not make it a primary standard. Since it's
>> more like a rubidium than anything else, it's a lot easier to think of it
>> as
>> a "really small low power rubidium". One other advantage it may have is
>> that
>> the LED may have a longer life than a normal "light bulb" source. I suspect
>> it's a little early to forecast 20 year (or not) life on these yet.
>> 
>> Bob
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
>> Behalf Of WB6BNQ
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 5:03 PM
>> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
>> Subject: [time-nuts] Symmetricom CSAC is Cs acting like a Rb unit
>> 
>> To the list,
>> 
>> If you listen carefully to the Symmetricom slide show, particularly page 3,
>> it will tell you all you need to
>> know:
>> 
>> 
>> http://www.brainshark.com/Steve_FatSymmetricom/vu?pi=691826191&dm=5&pause=1&
>> appKey=77<http://www.brainshark.com/Steve_FatSymmetricom/vu?pi=691826191&dm=5&pause=1&%0AappKey=77>
>> 
>> You will discover that that it is indeed a Cesium operated device.  HOWEVER
>> !  It is operated in the same manner
>> as a Rubidium device.  Doing such does NOT make it a primary standard.
>> 
>> In a Cesium Primary standard, a beam of Cesium atoms are energized to a
>> higher state whose decay give off a
>> photon of light such that being on frequecy produces more light to the
>> detector.  In the Rb system, the Rb cell
>> acts simply as a light filter such that when on frequency the light level
>> is
>> reduced as seen by the detector.
>> 
>> This Symmetricom CSAC device uses the same process as the Rb method above.
>> It uses a laser to push light through
>> a chamber of Cesium gas.  This Cesium gas is acting as a simple light
>> filter.  So in its current state it will
>> not rival it superior cousins except in size and power comsumption and
>> possibly price for performance in some
>> applications.
>> 
>> Bill....WB6BNQ
>> 
>> 
>> 
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