|
| |
|
|
Event Timing Device Providing Subpicosecond Precision
Pánek, Petr ; Kodet, J. ; Procházka, I.
We are reporting on the latest experimental results achieved with an event timing device using a surface acoustic wave filter as a time interpolator. During the tests of the first version of the device, the noise of the filter excitation was identified as the dominant source of the measurement error. Therefore a new concept of the excitation with very low level of the noise energy was designed. This new solution led to considerable improvement of the device performance. It results from the experimental measurements that the single shot precision is repeatedly lower than 500 fs RMS when time marks generated synchronously with the time base are measured. When asynchronous time marks are split into two event timers and the resulting time difference is measured, the single shot precision is below 700 fs RMS per channel. In this case the measurement is affected not only by random errors, but also by non-linearity of the time interpolation. The temperature dependence is below 0.1 ps/K. Operating the device in a common laboratory environment without temperature stabilization, the stability TDEV better than 3 fs has been routinely achieved for range of averaging intervals from 10 s to several hours
|
|
|
Time and Frequency Transfer Using Satellite Based Augmentation System GAGAN
Pánek, Petr ; Kuna, Alexander
Aided Geo Augmented Navigation) is an Indian SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation Systems). In contrast to the European EGNOS, this system already supports the navigation function and it transmits signals both in L1 and L5 frequency channels. We used the GAGAN signals for an experimental common-view time transfer between IPE Prague and PTB Braunschweig which is a distance of 370 km and we also tested the time transfer properties using a single clock common-view. The L1 and ionosphere-free code measurements have markedly lower accuracy compared to a GPS common-view because of rather narrow bandwidth of the SBAS signal in L1 frequency channel. L5 code measurement provides much better precision. It results from the single clock common-view that the observed fluctuations can be described as white noise with standard deviations of 6 ns, 1.3 ns and 14 ns for L1, L5 and ionosphere-free combination. The results obtained from the carrier phase measurements are promising. The single clock common-view precision was approximately 30 ps RMS even for the ionosphere-free combination.
|
|
|
Single Photons Optical TwoWay Time Transfer Providing Picosecond Accuracy
Procházka, I. ; Blažej, J. ; Kodet, J. ; Pánek, Petr
We are reporting on a new approach to an optical two-way time transfer based on signals of individual photons. This approach enables to reach extreme timing stabilities and minimal systematic errors using existing electro-optic technologies. In our indoor experiment we have achieved sub-picosecond precison and 3 ps accuracy of a two-way time transfer via free space optical channel. The entire system is compact and simple. It is a perspective technique for space application, where it might provide picosecond accuracies over space distances
|
|
|
Local ties controlin application of laser time transfer
Kodet, J. ; Schreiber, U. ; Eckl, J. ; Procházka, I. ; Pánek, Petr
In many fundamental physical experiments time plays an important role. The standard way for the comparison of time and frequency is the application of GNSS signals and the Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer - TWSTFT. This technique is based on radiofrequency signal transmission. Recently, there was a rapid increase of optical time comparison development, which uses the Satellite Laser Ranging network (SLR). Currently the French project T2L2 is in operation on board of Jason 2 and the European Space Agency project ELT in support of the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) is under development. The goal of both projects is the time synchronization with a precision below 40 ps rms and an absolute error well below 100 ps. Comparing the results of the optical time transfer with the GNSS time comparison requires unprecedented control of the local ties between the different observation techniques. One of the possible methods is the application of the Two Way Time Transfer (TWTT) on a single coaxial cable. Such a system can be implemented using two or more event timers, which are interconnected by a standard coaxial cable.
|
|
|
VLBI receiver chain monitoring
Michálek, V. ; Kodet, J. ; Schreiber, U. ; Ploetz, Ch. ; Procházka, I. ; Pánek, Petr
he most demanding goal of the Global Geodetic Observing System initiative is the definition of station positions to an accuracy of 1mm and the corresponding velocities to 0.1 mm/year. The main remaining sources of error are caused by systematics, leading to intra- and inter- technique biases. In this work, we have focused on Very Long Base Interferometry (VLBI) and phase calibration generator currently in operation. This unit is injecting calibration tones into the detection chain through an input coupler located near the input of the antenna. The tones propagate further through entire detection chain and are recorded with the observed signal. Then they are extracted in post processing. These tones are generated out of an atomic frequency standard. The supplied frequency is significantly influenced by temperature and mechanical changes since usually a long cable is employed to bring the frequency to the calibration unit. To monitor the electrical length of the cable, calibration with a picosecond precision is essential. We have redesigned a phase calibration unit so that it enables the implementation of the Two Way Time Transfer (TWTT) method on single coaxial cable using two event timers to monitor the electrical length of the critical cable. Such a system has been installed in parallel to the unit currently in operation. The comparison of the TWTT method with previous measurement method is presented
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
guest ::
RSS feed.