Making optical lattice clocks compact and useful for real-world applications

Hidetoshi Katori
Tokyo (Japan)
ICAP 2022
Wednesday, Jul 20, 4:25 PM

Making optical lattice clocks compact and useful for real-world applications

An “optical lattice clock” benefits from a low quantum-projection noise by simultaneously interrogating many atoms trapped in an optical lattice. The essence of the scheme is an engineered perturbation based on the “magic wavelength” protocol, which has been proven successful up to 10-18 uncertainty. About a thousand atoms enable such clocks to achieve 10-18 stability in a few hours of operation. This superb stability is especially beneficial for chronometric leveling, which discriminates a centimeter height difference of the clocks located at distant sites by the gravitational redshift.

We overview the progress of optical lattice clocks and address recent topics to explore real-world applications of the 18-digit-accurate clocks, including 1) compact optical lattice clocks under development in collaboration with industry partners, 2) demonstration of an on-vehicle clock, and 3) our challenge to downsize of the clock as well as to improve the clock stability by “longitudinal Ramsey spectroscopy” that allows continuous interrogation of the clock transition.