Title: NIST Develops Miniature Optical Clocks for Quantum Technologies
Summary:
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have created miniature optical clocks using photonic integrated circuits (PICs). These compact clocks offer the same high stability as atomic clocks but with significantly reduced size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP).
The key innovation is the use of CMOS foundry fabrication processes to create the PICs, enabling scalable manufacturing and compatibility with existing semiconductor production lines. This approach allows for the cost-effective mass production of these miniature optical clocks.
The clocks utilize a second harmonic stabilization technique to achieve low frequency drift, enabling the generation of microwave signals with improved stability compared to current technologies. This breakthrough has significant implications for various applications, including:
1. Spectroscopy: The precise timing provided by these clocks can enable more accurate and efficient spectroscopic measurements.
2. Navigation: Miniature optical clocks could be used in compact navigation systems requiring high precision.
3. Communication: The low SWaP characteristics make these clocks suitable for integration into communication systems, potentially enabling more reliable and secure data transmission.
The development of these miniature optical clocks represents a major step forward in the field of quantum technologies, with the potential to revolutionize various scientific and commercial applications.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/patents/laser-ultrastable-photonics-integrated-nonlinearity-extended-stability
Keywords: Photonic, Integrated, Spectroscopy, Metrology, Microwave
