NIST scientists John Kitching, Svenja Knappe, and Leo Hollberg have won the 2014 Rank Prizes in optoelectronics for their groundbreaking work on the first chip-scale atomic clock. This tiny, portable clock uses cesium atoms and laser technology to achieve unprecedented timekeeping accuracy, making it useful for GPS navigation in remote locations and underwater exploration.
The NIST team’s work has already been commercialized and is on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s Time and Navigation exhibit. In addition to the atomic clock, they have developed chip-scale atomic magnetometers with potential medical applications, such as measuring human brain activity. The Rank Prizes, awarded by the UK-based Rank Foundation, recognize significant contributions to science and technology that benefit humanity. Kitching and Knappe will each receive £15,000 (approximately $23,000) at a ceremony in London in February 2014.
Keywords: Atomic, Clocks, Magnetometers, Metrology, Standards
