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Frequency Comparison of Two High-Accuracy Al+ Optical Clocks
Published
Author(s)
Chin-Wen Chou, David Hume, J.C. Koelemeij, David J. Wineland, Till P. Rosenband
Abstract
We have constructed an optical clock with a fractional frequency inaccuracy of 8.6e-18, based on quantum logic spectroscopy of an Al+ ion. A simultaneously trapped Mg+ ion serves to sympathetically laser-cool the Al+ ion and detect its quantum state. The frequency of the 1S0->3P0 clock transition is compared to that of a previously constructed Al+ optical clock with a statistical measurement uncertainty of 7.0e-18. The two clocks exhibit a relative stability of 2.8e-15/ sqrt(tau), and a fractional frequency difference of -1.8e-17, consistent with the accuracy limit of the older clock.
Chou, C.
, Hume, D.
, Koelemeij, J.
, Wineland, D.
and Rosenband, T.
(2010),
Frequency Comparison of Two High-Accuracy Al+ Optical Clocks, Physical Review Letters, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=904590
(Accessed October 9, 2025)