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Physical Measurement Laboratory

Time and Frequency Division

The Time and Frequency Division maintains the standard for frequency and time interval for the United States, provides official time to the United States, and carries out a broad program of research and service activities in time and frequency metrology.

NIST on a chip

NIST-on-a-Chip in ADI
NIST-F1 Cesium Fountain Atomic Clock

NIST-F1 Cesium Fountain Atomic Clock
Yb Lattice Clock

Yb Lattice Clock

NASA Builds Atomic Clock for Deep-Space Navigation

John Lowe

Time and Frequency Division's own John Lowe spoke about atomic clocks in Voice of America (VOA) George Putic's video report on NASA's next launch.

From VOA's website: "Only days after the spectacular liftoff of what is currently the heaviest space rocket, the privately built Falcon Heavy, NASA announced the next launch will carry a specially built atomic clock. The new device, much smaller and sturdier than earth-bound atomic clocks, will help future astronauts navigate in deep space."

Popular Links

News and Updates

Industry Impacts

Close up of the NIST chip-scale atomic clock

Navigation through Timekeeping

Accurate navigation requires precision timing synchronization to about 1 billionth of a second per day. New applications require timing mechanisms that can

Projects and Programs

CaPhoto

Calcium Thermal Beam Optical Clock

A simple, compact alternative to the highest performing optical standards, the Ca clock uses a thermal beam of neutral atoms with one or two lasers to achieve
CombSpec1

Frequency Comb Spectroscopy

We use frequency combs based on ultrafast mode-locked lasers to perform precision spectroscopy in the near- and mid-infrared domains, for rapid, high
YellowSystem

Yb Lattice Clock

Our Group is developing high stability, high accuracy optical atomic clocks based on thousands of Yb atoms confined to an optical lattice. Such clocks will find

Awards

Headshot of Franklyn Quinlan

2019 PECASE - Franklyn Quinlan

The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) is the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government to...
David A. Howe

2018 IEEE Fellow - David A. Howe

The IEEE Grade of Fellow is conferred by the IEEE Board of Directors upon a person with an outstanding record of accomplishments in any of...

2017 Rabi Award - Scott Diddams

The Rabi Award is to recognize outstanding contributions related to the fields of atomic and molecular frequency standards, and time...

Nobel Prize

2012 Nobel Prize in Physics to Dave Wineland of NIST Time and Frequency Division

Dave Wineland, of the Ion Storage Group, shares the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics with Serge Haroche of France "for ground-breaking experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems." Dave and his colleagues use these techniques for research in quantum information processing, quantum simulation, atomic clocks, and other areas.

More information about the Ion Storage Group can be found here.

For more information about the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics, please see the Nobel Prize organization site.

Selected Publications

Contacts

Division Chief

Office Manager