A transportable Al+ quantum logic optical clock

11 Sept 2026, 09:30
20m
Short Talk (15min) Atomic Clocks Clocks and Precision Spectroscopy

Speaker

Joost Hinrichs (Leibniz University Hannover & Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt)

Description

Optical atomic clocks are the most precise measurement tools, achieving fractional frequency uncertainties below $10^{−18}$. Transportable systems can extend this accuracy to a broader range of applications. High-precision frequency ratio measurements are essential to validate clock accuracy and ensure consistency across platforms – a key requirement towards the redefinition of the SI second. Transportable systems allow these comparisons on-site at various metrology institutes when a connecting fiber link is missing. Furthermore, transportable optical clocks can be used for relativistic geodesy as they allow height difference measurements on the cm level over large distances.
Our fully rack-integrated clock setup is based on the $^1𝑆_0\rightarrow {^3𝑃_0}$ transition in $^{27}\mathrm{Al}^+$. A co-trapped $^{40}\mathrm{Ca}^+$ ion allows for sympathetic cooling and state detection through quantum logic spectroscopy. We present the results of our investigation of various frequency shifts in our optical clock. Furthermore, we present ground state cooling, quantum logic spectroscopy, and our progress towards clock operation.

Academic level PhD student

Author

Joost Hinrichs (Leibniz University Hannover & Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt)

Co-authors

Alexander Bernet (Leibniz University Hannover & Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) Constantin Nauk (Leibniz University Hannover & Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) Gayatri Sasidharan (Leibniz University Hannover & Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) M. Mazin Amir (Leibniz University Hannover & Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) Pascal Engelhardt (Leibniz University Hannover & Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) Piet O. Schmidt (Leibniz University Hannover & Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) Sofia Herbers (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt)

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