QS-EXACT: Quantum SiC for EXtreme Application Clock Technology

QS-EXACT，用于极端应用时钟技术的量子SiC，将把英国工业开发的一系列构建块技术集成到由Nascent Semiconductor构建的强大定时系统中。该技术采用了一种新的方法来实现高精度的精密时钟，并将产生稳定的计时系统，这对各种基础设施的运行至关重要。目前有许多不同类型的原子钟在运行，大小，精度和稳定性不等。典型的原子钟使用铷或铯的微波辐射作为频率标准。一个更精确的时钟的例子是基于氢脉泽（微波相当于激光）。然而，这些脉泽系统非常大，不适合于许多应用。该项目将利用碳化硅（一种宽带隙半导体）中原子级缺陷的量子力学特性，创造一种具有稳定性，准确性，便携性和耐用性的独特组合的时钟。碳化硅中的硅空位缺陷的电子结构导致当缺陷被光激发时发射光谱纯的微波信号;允许构造固态碳化硅MASER。碳化硅具有示例性的物理性质，因此这样的系统将是固有的弹性和抗辐射的。该系统不会受到限制其他时钟部署的稳定性问题的影响，因为MASER的频率受到缺陷的量子特性的限制。该技术将提供一个比目前可用的更紧凑和耐用的定时系统，但具有相当的性能。因此，它将非常适合在具有挑战性的环境中进行操作，从海底到太空，为潜艇导航并提供精确的在轨操作。

QS-EXACT, Quantum SiC for EXtreme Application Clock Technology, will integrate a series of building block technologies developed by UK industry into a robust timing system built by Nascent Semiconductor. This technology takes a new approach to the realisation of a precision clock that is highly accurate and will result in stable timing systems which are crucial to the operation of a wide range of infrastructure.There are a number of different types of atomic clock currently in operation, ranging in size, accuracy, and stability. Typical atomic clocks use microwave emissions from rubidium or caesium as a frequency standard. An example of a more accurate clock is based on the hydrogen MASER (the microwave equivalent to the LASER). However, these MASER systems are very large and unsuited to many applications. This project will exploit the quantum mechanical properties of atomic scale defects in silicon carbide, a wide bandgap semiconductor, to create a clock with a unique combination of stability, accuracy, portability and durability. The electronic structure of the silicon vacancy defect in silicon carbide results in the emission of a spectrally pure microwave signal when the defects are optically excited; allowing for the construction of a solid state silicon carbide MASER.Such an approach to crafting a clock is advantageous in a number of ways. Silicon carbide has exemplary physical properties and so such a system will be intrinsically resilient and radiation hard. The system does not suffer from stability issues that restrict the deployment of other clocks, as the frequency of the MASER is constrained by the quantum properties of the defects.The technology will offer a more compact and durable timing system that those currently available, but with a comparable performance. As a result it will be ideally suited for operations in challenging environments, from subsea to space, navigating submarines and delivering precision on-orbit operations.