  We report an experimental study of an all-optical three-photon-absorption
resonance (known as a "N-resonance") and discuss its potential application as
an alternative to atomic clocks based on coherent population trapping (CPT). We
present measurements of the N-resonance contrast, width and light-shift for the
D1 line of 87Rb with varying buffer gases, and find good agreement with an
analytical model of this novel resonance. The results suggest that N-resonances
are promising for atomic clock applications.
