[time-nuts] a link to a explanation of Rb vs Cs?

Attila Kinali attila at kinali.ch
Tue Apr 11 15:34:59 EDT 2017


Hoi Jim,

On Tue, 11 Apr 2017 07:30:38 -0700
jimlux <jimlux at earthlink.net> wrote:

> I'm looking for a link to point to an explanation (at a basic level) of 
> the difference between Rb and Cs references, and what the tradeoffs are.
> I googled a bit, but all I got were some explanations of the differences 
> in things like vapor pressure, etc.

What exactly are you looking for? A comparison of Rb vapor cell
standards vs Cs vapor cell standards? Or a general comparison
why different kind of standards are built with Rb and Cs?

For the former, there is a paper that has some of the details
why Cs was choosen over Rb for the CSAC in one of the papers.
(Which I currently cannot find...)

For the latter, there is no easy answer and a lot come from
technicalities (difference in handling) and what people were
able to build. There are some fundamental differences in which
elements get you what kind of stability for different kinds of
atomic clocks, but I have seen very little on that and it's quite
spread over various papers and books.

				Attila Kinali

-- 
It is upon moral qualities that a society is ultimately founded. All 
the prosperity and technological sophistication in the world is of no 
use without that foundation.
                 -- Miss Matheson, The Diamond Age, Neil Stephenson


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