Prospects for developing GLONASS spaceboard atomic beam frequency standard with laser pumping

The authors present the results of an investigation of and the development of a rubidium beam frequency standard, with semiconductor lasers used for pumping and detection. A schematic representation of a rubidium beam frequency standard is given. The discriminator is realized using a modified production-type compact spaceborne rubidium beam tube and customized single-frequency injection lasers having frequency control/checking systems. When the Ramsey linewidth is approximately equal to 700 Hz, the figure of merit of the atomic beam tube exceeds 20. Ways that make it possible to increase this parameter by at least one order of magnitude are determined. This makes it possible to develop the GLONASS spaceboard frequency standard with a daily frequency instability of less than 1 /spl times/ 10/sup -14/.< >