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.

时间是数量，可以测量所有计量量的最高精度。我们所有人都从日常生活中的这种非凡的精度中受益，因为精确时间可以通过计算卫星导航中的射频信号的飞行时间来同步超快宽带通信中的数据包，并确定我们的位置。这些在经济上重要的应用依赖于微波原子时钟，其商业形式在10^14中精确到1部分。目前，由于光学时钟的发明和可访问的计算光频率的方式，我们目前正面临定时准确性的革命，这已经被2005年的诺贝尔（Nobel）价格所认识到。这些新颖的时钟已经在10^18中达到1份以上的稳定性，超过4个数量级以上，超过4个级别。但是，尽管时钟技术正在迅速发展，但仍有很多需要了解如何以实用和高效的方式将这种精度转移到用户社区的信息。微波链路（例如当前卫星时间传输中使用）的精度不切实际，而光纤链路则需要昂贵的专用光纤连接，并且仅限于几分100公里，这使得洲际连接不切实际。此外，在10^-18的精度下，诸如一般相对性耦合重力与频率之类的效果正在发挥作用，并使转移取决于地球潮汐中大陆板的变形，而较大的雨水落下。图标汇集了世界领先的可运输光钟和世界领先的光链空间基础架构，以探索精确时间传输的限制。包括使可运输时钟更加紧凑和适应世界领先的原子芯片概念的工作，我们旨在为每个人带来精确的时间 - 首先依靠精确振荡器的研究人员，后来在商业应用中为更广泛的社会带来好处。