Reduction of the cold collisions frequency shift in a multiple velocity fountain: a new proposal

In this paper, we propose a new scheme for operating an atomic fountain frequency standard. A sequence of time-spaced balls of atoms, launched over nonoverlapping trajectories, makes possible a reduction of the atomic density and consequently the cold collision frequency shift by one order of magnitude without significant reduction of the useful signal and of the overall stability of the clock. The ultimate accuracy of a Cs fountain could be improved below the 10/sup -15/ level currently achieved in operating clocks.