International Clock and Oscillator Networking - ICON

国际时钟和振荡器网络 - ICON

• 批准号: EP/W003279/1
• 负责人: Kai Bongs
• 金额: $ 198.7万
• 依托单位: University of Birmingham
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2021 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FW003279%2F1
• 关键词: International; Clock; Oscillator; Networking; ICON

Time is the quantity, which can be measured to the highest precision of all metrological quantities. We all benefit from this extraordinary precision in our everyday lives, as precision time enables synchronization of data packets in ultrafast broadband communication and the determination of our position by computing the flight times of radiofrequency signals in Satellite Navigation to nanosecond precision. These economically important applications rely on microwave atomic clocks, which in their commercial form are precise to 1 part in 10^14. We are currently facing a revolution in timing accuracy due to the invention of optical clocks and accessible ways of counting optical frequencies, which has already been recognised by the Nobel Price in Physics in 2005. These novel clocks already reach stabilities beyond 1 part in 10^18, more than 4 orders of magnitude beyond the state-of-the art. However, while the clock technology is progressing rapidly, there is still a lot to learn about how such a precision can be transferred to the user community in a practical and efficient way. Microwave links, such as used in current satellite time transfers, are impractically slow for such precision, while optical fibre links need expensive dedicated fibre connections and are limited to a few 100 km, making intercontinental connections impractical. In addition, at 10^-18 precision, effects such as general relativity coupling gravity to frequency are coming into play and make the transfer dependent on deformation of the continental plates in Earth tides and larger rain falls. ICON brings together world leading transportable optical clocks and world leading optical link space infrastructure to explore the limits of precision time transfer. Including work on making transportable clocks more compact and robust with world-leading atom chip concepts, we are aiming at bringing precision time to everyone - first researchers relying on precision oscillators and later in commercial applications for the benefit of wider society.

时间是一个量，它可以被测量到所有可测量量中最高的精度。我们在日常生活中都受益于这种非凡的精确度，因为精确时间可以使超快宽带通信中的数据包同步，并通过计算卫星导航中射频信号的飞行时间来确定我们的位置，精度达到纳秒。这些经济上重要的应用依赖于微波原子钟，其商业形式精确到10^14分之一。我们目前正面临着一场计时精度的革命，这是由于光学时钟和光学频率计数方法的发明，这已经在2005年获得了诺贝尔物理学奖。这些新颖的时钟已经达到了超过1/10^18的稳定性，超过了最先进的4个数量级。然而，尽管时钟技术正在迅速发展，但如何以实用和有效的方式将这样的精度转移到用户社区仍然有很多需要学习的地方。目前卫星时间传递中使用的微波链路速度慢得不切实际，无法达到这种精度，而光纤链路则需要昂贵的专用光纤连接，而且仅限于几百公里，使得洲际连接不切实际。此外，在10^-18的精度下，广义相对论将重力与频率耦合起来的效应开始发挥作用，使传输依赖于地球潮汐和更大的福尔斯降雨中大陆板块的变形。ICON汇集了世界领先的可移动光学时钟和世界领先的光链路空间基础设施，以探索精确时间传输的极限。包括利用世界领先的原子芯片概念使可移动时钟更加紧凑和坚固的工作，我们的目标是为每个人带来精确的时间-首先是依靠精密振荡器的研究人员，然后是商业应用，以造福更广泛的社会。