[time-nuts] Cheap Rubidium (heatpipe cooling for)

[Magnus Danielson]

Bob Camp wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I certainly agree that, say potting the circuit board, would be a lot easier than some of the stuff we have been talking about. 

I am not sure that it would significantly improve the case.

The physical package as a whole, needs temperature stabilization. 
Double-oven strategies etc. is among them. At the same time it is a heat 
source, so we need to cool a few wats off it. Except for possibly the 
resonant cavity, I don't think thermal gradients is as important as 
stable temperature, where as the crystal(s) of the electronics boards is 
another story. The electronics might enjoy a cooler and somewhat 
gradient free environment, but for longer taus most of the effects would 
be servoed in to the rubidium resonance anyway, so I suspect most of 
those long-term effects can be focused on the physical package.

> My main concern about tearing up the unit is impacting the magnetic shielding. I assume that the outer enclosure forms part of the magnetic shield (at least that's what the data sheets say ...).

Good point.

Cheers,
Magnus