Abstract

We present the further development of an iodine-based optical frequency standard with respect to frequency stability and its future application in space. Using modulation transfer spectroscopy, the pointing stability of the counter-propagating laser beams in the iodine cell is improved using a thermally and mechanically highly stable glass ceramics as baseplate for the optics in combination with an appropriate assembly-integration technology. This technology is also required for a space-compatible setup where a first design of a compact implementation using a multi-pass cell and a quasi-monolithic optical setup for spectroscopy is detailed.

© 2011 Optical Society of America