Frequency standards based on hollow core fibres and micro-fabricated opto-electronic components

原子钟和其他频率标准是幕后技术，使许多熟悉的系统成为现代生活标准的基础，例如全球定位系统（GPS）和移动通信。目前，我们依靠大型仪器来提供这些标准。这个提议是关于开发这些仪器的微型版本——理想情况下，小型化可以降低到芯片规模。芯片级标准将使用已经用于长途通信的光纤的一种版本——新版本将光纤的玻璃核心掏空，取而代之的是原子气体蒸汽，如铯原子蒸汽或分子气体，如乙炔。这些被称为空心芯光纤，这些光纤中心的气体为新的频率和时钟标准提供了基础。空心芯纤维是至关重要的，但它们只是系统的一部分，作为该提案的一部分，新的微型组件正在开发中，这意味着整个标准将紧凑，可靠，坚固和低功耗。这些可靠、紧凑和低功耗的芯片级标准不仅将极大地改善GPS和移动通信，而且还将使新的应用成为可能。例如，基于这些标准的高灵敏度磁力计可以用于大脑和心脏的电活动成像，并将取代目前使用的大型笨重技术——在10年内，大脑和心脏成像可以在全科医生的手术中使用。

Atomic clock and other frequency standards are behind-the-scenes technologies that enable many familiar systems fundamental to modern living standards such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and mobile communications. Presently we depend on large scale instruments to provide these standards. This proposal is about developing miniature versions of these instruments - ideally, the miniaturisation could go down to chip-scale.The chip-scale standards would use a version of the optical fibres already used in long haul communications - the new version has the glass central core of the fibre hollowed out and replaced with atomic gas vapour such caesium atomic vapour or molecular gases such as acetylene. These are called hollow core fibres and the gases at the centre of these fibres provide the basis of the new frequency and clock standards. The hollow core fibres are vital but they are only one part of the system and new mircoscale components are being developed as part of this proposal that will mean that the whole standard will be compact, reliable robust and low powered.These reliable, compact and low powered chip-scale standards will not only greatly improve GPS and mobile communications but will also allow new applications to come into existence. For example, highly sensitive magnetometers based on these standards can be used in imaging the electrical activity of the brain and heart and will replace the large cumbersome technology presently employed -to the point where in 10 years time brain and heart imaging could be available in a GP's surgery.