Production of optical elements for rubidium time and frequency standards

   Optical quantum elements forming the base of the quantum discriminator of rubidium frequency standards. Their quality determines the main parameters of the developed devices. New technologies of optical elements manufacturing, advanced both a vacuum creating and vacuum precision measuring equipment in combination with the pure gases and careful monitoring at each step, allows us to create high-quality optic elements with a high degree of reproducibility and reliability.

   To achieve ultimate vacuum (at least 7.5^.10^-8Torr) for degassing, pumping and optical elements filling by ultrapure buffer gases we use the most advanced vacuum equipment of the best world manufacturers. This equipment provides total exclusion of oil seals, and, consequently, impurity exclusion in manufactured optical elements, thereby minimizing defects and enhancing their long-term parameters stability.

   For optical elements manufacturing we use only components of the highest quality and a highest degree of purification. The using in process of the inert gases with a percentage at least of 99.9999% guarantee us parameters of manufactured frequency standards at the world's leading level.

   Usage of advanced vacuum pressure sensors and vacuum precision measuring equipment from the best world manufacturers with absolute pressure measurement error of less than 0.1% allows us to produce the gas mixture and to filling of the optical elements with highest accuracy. The use of modern vacuum controllers allows us to monitor the filling of optical elements with an accuracy of 0.01mm Hg. The use of high-precision measuring and temperature controlling devices allows us to set and maintain the annealing temperature with an accuracy of 0.1⁰C.

   All newly manufactured optical elements are temperature tests and running with complete follow-up parameters testing on the special technological equipment. It allows us to check the quality of the manufactured components before installing them in the serial device.

High precision of all parameters monitoring at each step of manufacturing process is a guarantee of high quality products from JSC RUKNAR.