Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Just as we were going to do some exciting relativistic atomic clock experiments, one of the clocks went down. Oh well, the bright side is that we get to look in the innards of this very complicated instrument.
Atomic Clock Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-_93BVApb59F6V90OdcqVofqVWceR6Dk
How an atomic clock works: youtu.be/eOti3kKWX-c
Atomic clock Zeeman alignment: youtu.be/xTy1kY_wtsY
Hi-res scan of the HP 5061A manual: archive.org/details/hp-5061-a-cesium-beam-frequency-standard-operation-and-service-manual-05061-9052-june-1978
Stuff that supports the channel:
- Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/curiousmarc
- Amazon links for the tools I use in the lab: curiousmarc.com/amazon-links
- Channel merch on Fourthwall: curiousmarc-shop.fourthwall.com
- Legacy channel merch on Teespring (I don't have everything transferred to Fourthwall yet): teespring.com/stores/curiousmarcs-store
"Elevator Music" Credit: Crinoline Dreams by Kevin MacLeod
Our lovely sponsors
- PCBWay: fast turn PCBs, pcbway.com
- Electro-Rent: electrorent.com
- Keysight: test instruments: keysight.com
- Samtec: connectors: samtec.com
- R&D Microwaves: rdmicrowaves.com
Get more technical info on the companion site: curiousmarc.com
Contact info: youtube.com/curiousmarc/about
00:00 Making relativistic experiments with two atomic clocks
03:50 One clock goes down!
04:41 How the HP Cesium clock works
08:03 I think the fault is in the multiplier
11:24 Opening the beast
13:25 Multiplier measurement
15:43 Testing and tuning the multiplier on the bench
18:54 Is there something wrong with 5 MHz input?
21:41 Into the harmonic generator we go
25:07 Back to repairing the multiplier
29:01 It works again!
Just as we were going to do some exciting relativistic atomic clock experiments, one of the clocks went down. Oh well, the bright side is that we get to look in the innards of this very complicated instrument.
Atomic Clock Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-_93BVApb59F6V90OdcqVofqVWceR6Dk
How an atomic clock works: youtu.be/eOti3kKWX-c
Atomic clock Zeeman alignment: youtu.be/xTy1kY_wtsY
Hi-res scan of the HP 5061A manual: archive.org/details/hp-5061-a-cesium-beam-frequency-standard-operation-and-service-manual-05061-9052-june-1978
Stuff that supports the channel:
- Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/curiousmarc
- Amazon links for the tools I use in the lab: curiousmarc.com/amazon-links
- Channel merch on Fourthwall: curiousmarc-shop.fourthwall.com
- Legacy channel merch on Teespring (I don't have everything transferred to Fourthwall yet): teespring.com/stores/curiousmarcs-store
"Elevator Music" Credit: Crinoline Dreams by Kevin MacLeod
Our lovely sponsors
- PCBWay: fast turn PCBs, pcbway.com
- Electro-Rent: electrorent.com
- Keysight: test instruments: keysight.com
- Samtec: connectors: samtec.com
- R&D Microwaves: rdmicrowaves.com
Get more technical info on the companion site: curiousmarc.com
Contact info: youtube.com/curiousmarc/about
00:00 Making relativistic experiments with two atomic clocks
03:50 One clock goes down!
04:41 How the HP Cesium clock works
08:03 I think the fault is in the multiplier
11:24 Opening the beast
13:25 Multiplier measurement
15:43 Testing and tuning the multiplier on the bench
18:54 Is there something wrong with 5 MHz input?
21:41 Into the harmonic generator we go
25:07 Back to repairing the multiplier
29:01 It works again!
