Frequency, phase, and amplitude changes of the hydrogen maser oscillation

The frequency, the phase, and the amplitude changes of the hydrogen maser oscillation, which are induced by the modulation of the cavity resonant frequency, are considered. The results obtained apply specifically to one of the H-maser cavity autotuning methods which is actually implemented, namely the cavity frequency-switching method. The frequency, the phase, and the amplitude changes are analyzed theoretically. The phase and the amplitude variations are measured experimentally. It is shown, in particular, that the phase of oscillation is subjected to abrupt jumps at the times of the cavity frequency switching, whose magnitude is specified. The results given can be used for the design of a phase-locked loop (PLL) aimed at minimizing the transfer of the phase modulation to the slaved VCXO.<
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