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| Optical Atomic Clock in the Deep UV | |||||||||||||||||
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Following the development of detailed investigation for different systems for optical atomic clocks it will become possible to realize a stable and reliable optical frequency standard. |
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| Introduction:
The precise measurement of time and frequency is of great importance in applied as well as fundamental physics. The optical frequency standard is a prominent candidate for dramatic advances in the frequency measurement. Improvements in frequency standards are expected to lead to substantial progress in many key application areas. Currently the SI second is defined as a microwave transition in cesium. However optical frequency standards offer the expectation of stability and reproducibility which exceed that of the cesium primary standard and can be compared to this standard with high accuracy, pointing to the potential for an optical re-definition of the second in the long term. Applications in Fundamental Research:Frequency is the most accurate measurable quantity and therefore can serve to test fundamental physical theories. Advances in the area of frequency measurement will lead to improved measurements of fundamental constants such as the Rydberg constant and the fine-structure constant. This can be used for the laboratory search for possible slow time-variations of these fundamental constants. Ultra precise atomic spectroscopy can lead to test fundamental physical theories as well such as relativity, quantum electrodynamics and CPT invariance. Applications in Technology:Also in applied physics and technology there is a vast interest in high precise frequency standards, for instance in satellite navigation systems. Satellite systems by them selves are the dominating mechanism for distributing time and frequency worldwide. The combination of primary frequency standards, commercial atomic frequency standards and stable communications links allows accurate time and frequency to be applicable for a mass market. A good example is the global positioning systems. In this system an accuracies of a few tens of meters already requires a frequency standard with uncertainties better than 10-13. This was just a short list of the wide spectrum of applications of highly precise frequency measurements. This research is one of the most fruitful but also one of the most challenging fields in metrological physics. |
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| Miniaturized Paul Straubel type trap. In this trap single ions can be stored and investigated. | |||||||||||||||||
| Schematic of the atomic clock at the Max Planck Research Group in Erlangen: | |||||||||||||||||
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| For the current status of the experiment please visit: | |||||||||||||||||
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