Cited by 149Advanced Frequency and Time StandardsNetwork Time Synchronization TechnologiesScientific Measurement and Uncertainty Evaluation

Realization of a timescale with an accurate optical lattice clock

Open access
Grebing, Christian, Al-Masoudi, Ali, Dörscher, Sören, Häfner, Sebastian, Gerginov, Vladislav, Weyers, Stefan, Lipphardt, Burghard, Riehle, Fritz +2 more·2016·Optica

Abstract

Optical clocks are not only powerful tools for prime fundamental research, but are also deemed for the re-definition of the SI base unit second as they now surpass the performance of caesium atomic clocks in both accuracy and stability by more than an order of magnitude. However, an important obstacle in this transition has so far been the limited reliability of the optical clocks that made a continuous realization of a timescale impractical. In this paper, we demonstrate how this situation can be resolved and that a timescale based on an optical clock can be established that is superior to one based on even the best caesium fountain clocks. The paper also gives further proof of the international consistency of strontium lattice clocks on the $10^{-16}$ accuracy level, which is another prerequisite for a change in the definition of the second.

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1364/optica.3.000563

Cites

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  • The international all-optical clock measurement surpasses the accuracy of the best possible comparison achievable by measurements against primary caesium clocks by one order of magnitude.

    “This international all-optical clock measurement surpasses the accuracy of the best possible comparison achievable by measurements against primary caesium clocks by one order of magnitude5212223.”

    From A clock network for geodesy and fundamental science (2016) · cites this paper as [22]

    Optical Clock Operation (p. 2) says the strontium clock’s systematic uncertainty is at least an order of magnitude below that of PTB’s primary caesium fountains. But this paper’s measurement compares a local strontium clock with caesium fountains; Data Analysis (p. 4) discusses agreement with measurements at other institutes, not the accuracy of the cited international all-optical measurement. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The accuracy of comparing remote optical clocks using microwave signals is limited by caesium microwave clocks, with the most stringent bound set by our groups at an agreement within 4 × 10−16.

    “The accuracy of the former method is limited by the caesium microwave clocks with the most stringent bound set by our groups5212223 at an agreement within 4 × 10−16”

    From A clock network for geodesy and fundamental science (2016) · cites this paper as [22]

    The Data Analysis section (p. 3) says the uncertainty of this paper’s strontium frequency measurement is governed by its caesium fountain clock. It also reports agreement among strontium frequency measurements at different institutes (p. 4). But it does not establish that remote optical-clock comparisons using microwave signals have a most stringent agreement bound of 4 × 10−16. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • After accounting for a linear drift, the dominant contribution to the extrapolation uncertainty is due to the stochastic maser behaviour.

    “After accounting for a linear drift, the dominant contribution to the extrapolation uncertainty is due to the stochastic maser behaviour 42,43,86 .”
  • The systematic and statistical uncertainties of the two Sr lattice clocks are highly independent and uncorrelated because their implementations of state preparation and interrogation are quite different.

    “The details of the actual implementation of state preparation and interrogation being quite different in the two experimental realizations of a Sr lattice clock5212223, systematic and statistical uncertainties are highly independent and uncorrelated.”

    From A clock network for geodesy and fundamental science (2016) · cites this paper as [22]

    Section II (p. 2) describes one Sr lattice clock operated in two campaigns, and the Supplementary Material (p. 7) describes its preparation and interrogation. The paper does not compare the implementations of two Sr clocks or say that their systematic and statistical uncertainties are uncorrelated; the independence mentioned in Data Analysis (p. 3) concerns two Cs fountain clocks. (LLM, conf=0.76)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 9

  1. [21]S. Weyers, A. Bauch, R. Schr¨ oder, and C. Tamm, in Frequency Standards and Metrology, Proceedings of the Sixth Symposium , edited by P. Gill (World Scientific, Singapore, 2002) pp. 64-71.
  2. [39]C. Lisdat, G. Grosche, N. Quintin, C. Shi, S. M. F. Raupach, C. Grebing, D. Nicolodi, F. Stefani, A. AlMasoudi, S. D¨ orscher, S. H¨ afner, J. L. Robyr, N. Chiodo, S. Bilicki, E. Bookjans, A. Koczwara, S. Koke, A. Kuhl, F. Wiotte, F. Meynadier, E. Camisard, M. Abgrall, M. Lours, T. Legero, H. Schnatz, U. Sterr, H. Denker, C. Chardonnet, Y. Le Coq, G. Santarelli, A. AmyKlein, R. Le Targat, J. Lodewyck, O. Lopez, and P.E. Pottie, 'A clock network for geodesy and fundamental science,' arXiv:1511.07735 [physics.atom-ph] (2015), arXiv:1511.07735. · arXiv
  3. [40]J. Leute, N. Huntemann, B. Lipphardt, C. Tamm, P. B. R. Nisbet-Jones, S. A. King, R. M. Godun, J. M. Jones, H. S. Margolis, P. B. Whibberley, A. Wallin, M. Merimaa, P. Gill, and E. Peik, 'Frequency comparison of 171 Yb + ion optical clocks at PTB and NPL via GPS PPP,' arXiv:1507.04754v1 [physics.atom-ph] (2015). · arXiv
  4. [43]R. J. Douglas and J.-S. Boulanger, in Proc. 11th European Frequency and Time Forum (EFTF), 4-7 March 1997, Neuchˆ atel, Switzerland (1997) pp. 345-349. http://www.eftf.org/previousmeetings.php
  5. [54]C. Hagemann, C. Grebing, T. Kessler, S. Falke, N. Lemke, C. Lisdat, H. Schnatz, F. Riehle, and U. Sterr, IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas. 62 , 1556 (2013).
  6. [55]T. Middelmann, C. Lisdat, S. Falke, J. S. R. Vellore Winfred, F. Riehle, and U. Sterr, IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas. 60 , 2550 (2011).
  7. [63]S. T. Dawkins, J. J. McFerran, and A. N. Luiten, IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 54 , 918 (2007).
  8. [64]G. J. Dick, in Proceedings of 19 th Annu. Precise Time and Time Interval Meeting, Redendo Beach, 1987 (U.S. Naval Observatory, Washington, DC, 1988) pp. 133-147. http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/ptti/1987papers/Vol%2019_13.pdf
  9. [66]V. Vorontsov, A. Belyaev, and N. Demidov, in Materials of the VI symposium 'metrology of time and space' 2012 (2012).

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Authors
Grebing, C., Al-Masoudi, A., Dörscher, S., Häfner, S., Gerginov, V., Weyers, S., Lipphardt, B., Riehle, F., Sterr, U., & Lisdat, C.
Venue
Optica
Published
2016-05-25
Volume
3
Issue
6
Pages
563
ISSN
2334-2536 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2295004978
Cited by
149
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 6
FWCI
10.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Optica (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Funders
  • Centre of Quantum Engineering and Space-Time Research (QUEST)
  • German Research Foundation (DFG) (RTG 1729, CRC 1128)
  • International Timescales with Optical Clocks (ITOC)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Advanced Frequency and Time Standards
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Network Time Synchronization Technologies
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Scientific Measurement and Uncertainty Evaluation
Keywords
optical lattice clock, redefinition of the second, clock frequency stability

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