Optical frequency metrology.
Nature
; 416(6877): 233-7, 2002 Mar 14.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11894107
ABSTRACT
Extremely narrow optical resonances in cold atoms or single trapped ions can be measured with high resolution. A laser locked to such a narrow optical resonance could serve as a highly stable oscillator for an all-optical atomic clock. However, until recently there was no reliable clockwork mechanism that could count optical frequencies of hundreds of terahertz. Techniques using femtosecond-laser frequency combs, developed within the past few years, have solved this problem. The ability to count optical oscillations of more than 1015 cycles per second facilitates high-precision optical spectroscopy, and has led to the construction of an all-optical atomic clock that is expected eventually to outperform today's state-of-the-art caesium clocks.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
En
Journal:
Nature
Year:
2002
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Germany