Project: Optical clocks with 1E-18 uncertainty

Accurate global timekeeping is based on the use of a worldwide standard definition of the second, the SI base unit of time. The second is currently best realised using caesium fountain atomic clocks, but optical atomic clocks can measure time with even greater accuracy. However, many previous demonstrations of optical atomic clock performance have been based on estimates, not experimental verification. This project will build on the achievements of EMRP projects SIB04 Ion Clock and SIB55 ITOC and help to unlock the potential of these clocks by developing measurement techniques that can verify accuracy to one billionth of a billionth of a second, one hundred times more accurately than caesium clocks. The ability to measure time to such a degree of accuracy will support the use of optical atomic clocks in the definition and proposed redefinition of the second, and will find application in a broad range of scientific and commercial arenas, from aiding in the search for dark matter to improving the service from global navigation satellite systems.

Acronym	15SIB03 OC18 (Reference Number: 15SIB03)
Duration	01/05/2016 - 01/05/2019
Project Topic	Metrology
Project Results (after finalisation)	See Website
Website	visit project website
Network	EMPIR
Call	EMPIR CALL 2015

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	NPL Management Limited	Coordinator	United Kingdom
2	Cesky Metrologicky Institut	Partner	Czech Republic
3	Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica	Partner	Italy
4	Laboratoire national de métrologie et d'essais	Partner	France
5	Observatoire de Paris	Partner	France
6	Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt	Partner	Germany
7	Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu	Partner	Türkiye
8	Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy	Partner	Finland
9	Kobenhavns Universitet	Partner	Denmark
10	Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover	Partner	Germany
11	Uniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika w Toruniu	Partner	Poland
12	Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique		France