Laser-Based Measurements for Time and Frequency Domain Applications : A Handbook

Shedding Light on the Art of Timekeeping The great show of time and light, the curtain rises! Brief history of timekeeping. Time-frequency equivalence The parallel story of the speed of light In the end, time and light met up again. Optical atomic clocks and outline of the book Characterization and Control of Harmonic Oscillators The ideal harmonic oscillator Self-sustained oscillators The noisy oscillator Phase noise Phase noise modeling Noise reduction in oscillators Phase noise measurements Amplitude noise measurements Passive Resonators Microwave cavities Basic properties of bulk optical cavities Cavity design considerations Ultrastable cavities Fiber cavities Whispering gallery mode resonators Continuous-Wave Coherent Radiation Sources Principles of masers Compendium of laser theory Frequency pulling Achieving single-mode oscillation The laser output Laser frequency fluctuations and stabilization techniques Intensity fluctuations Some specific laser systems High-Resolution Spectroscopic Frequency Measurements Interferometric wavelength measurements Spectroscopic frequency measurements Frequency modulation spectroscopy Magnetic rotation spectroscopy Cavity-enhanced spectroscopy Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy Doppler-free polarization spectroscopy Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy Second-order Doppler-free spectroscopy Sub-Doppler spectroscopy in atomic/molecular beams Ramsey fringes Laser frequency standards using thermal quantum absorbers Fourier transform spectroscopy Raman spectroscopy Time and Frequency Measurements with Pulsed Laser Systems Introduction Theory of mode-locking Mode-locking mechanisms and dispersion compensation schemes Optical frequency comb synthesis from mode-locked lasers Extension of OFCSs into novel spectral regions Frequency Standards General features of frequency standards and clocks Quartz oscillators Cryogenic sapphire oscillators Photonic microwave oscillators based on WGM resonators Generation of ultrastable microwaves via optical frequency division Trapping and cooling of neutral atoms Cold stable molecules Trapping and cooling of ions Microwave atomic standards Time transfer and frequency dissemination Future Trends in Fundamental Physics and Applications Optical atomic clocks The hydrogen atom as an inexhaustible wellspring of advances in precision spectroscopy Spectroscopy of cold, trapped metastable helium Measurements of fundamental constants Constancy of fundamental constants Tests of fundamental physics laws Perspectives for precision spectroscopy of cold molecules Tests of general relativity: from ground-based experiments to space missions Quantum-enhanced time and frequency measurements Environmental metrology Bibliography