Related papers: Practical limits for large-momentum-transfer clock…
This paper describes advances in microwave frequency standards using laser-cooled atoms at BNM-SYRTE. First, recent improvements of the $^{133}$Cs and $^{87}$Rb atomic fountains are described. Thanks to the routine use of a cryogenic…
This paper describes the Light-Shift Laser-Lock (LSLL) technique, a novel method intended for compact atomic clocks that greatly simplifies the laser setup by stabilizing the pumping-laser frequency to the atoms involved in the clock,…
A candidate for converting quantum information from microwave to optical frequencies is the use of a single atom that interacts with a superconducting microwave resonator on one hand and an optical cavity on the other. The large electric…
Modern experiments in quantum metrology, sensing, and quantum computing require precise control of the state of atoms and molecules, achieved through the use of highly stable lasers and microwave generators with low phase noise. One of the…
The exquisite precision of atom interferometers has sparked the interest of a large community for use cases ranging from fundamental physics to geodesy and inertial navigation. However, their practical use for onboard applications is still…
Point source atom interferometry (PSI) uses the velocity distribution in a cold atom cloud to simultaneously measure one axis of acceleration and two axes of rotation from the phase, orientation, and period of atomic interference fringe…
By direct comparison between experiment and theory, we show how the classical noise on a multi-state atom laser beam increases with increasing flux. The trade off between classical noise and flux is an important consideration in precision…
Atom interferometry is an exciting tool to probe fundamental physics. It is considered especially apt to test the universality of free fall by using two different sorts of atoms. The increasing sensitivity required for this kind of…
This article theoretically proposes a new dual interferometer technique to accurately calibrate two laser frequencies simultaneously using four-wave mixing in an alkali metal vapor cell. The two frequency-calibrated lasers are mixed to…
We report the direct excitation of the highly forbidden (6s^2) 1S0 - (6s6p) 3P0 optical transition in two odd isotopes of ytterbium. As the excitation laser frequency is scanned, absorption is detected by monitoring the depletion from an…
The sensitivity of an atomic interferometer increases when the phase evolution of its quantum superposition state is measured over a longer interrogation interval. In practice, a limit is set by the measurement process, which returns not…
The ${{^1\mathrm{S}_0}\!-\!{^3\mathrm{P}_0}}$ clock transition in strontium serves as the foundation for the world's best atomic clocks and for gravitational wave detector concepts in clock atom interferometry. This transition is weakly…
Optical atomic clocks are the most accurate measurement devices ever constructed and have found many applications in fundamental science and technology. The use of highly charged ions (HCI) as a new class of references for highest accuracy…
The absolute frequency of the In$^{+}$ $5s^{2 1}S_{0}$ - $5s5p^{3}P_{0}$ clock transition at 237 nm was measured with an accuracy of 1.8 parts in $10^{13}$. Using a phase-coherent frequency chain, we compared the $^{1}S_{0}$ - $^{3}P_{0}$…
Heterodyne laser phase measurements in a space-based gravitational wave interferometer are degraded by the phase fluctuations of the onboard clocks, resulting in unacceptable sensitivity performance levels of the interferometric data. In…
Frequency metrology is a cornerstone of modern precision measurements and optical atomic clocks have emerged as the most precise measurement devices. In this progress report, we explore various Ramsey interrogation schemes tailored to…
In the last ten years extraordinary results in time and frequency metrology have been demonstrated. Frequency-stabilization techniques for continuous-wave lasers and femto-second optical frequency combs have enabled a rapid development of…
Performing interferometry in an optical lattice formed by standing waves of light offers potential advantages over its free-space equivalents since the atoms can be confined and manipulated by the optical potential. We demonstrate such an…
Current state-of-the-art frequency standards are passive optical atomic clocks where the frequency of an optical resonator is stabilized to a narrow atomic transition. Passive clocks have achieved unprecedented stabilities of 6.6 x 10--19…
Cold-atom inertial sensors target several applications in navigation, geoscience and tests of fundamental physics. Reaching high sampling rates and high inertial sensitivities, obtained with long interrogation times, represents a challenge…