Optical Atomic Clocks

TL;DR

Optical atomic clocks, utilizing trapped ions and neutral atoms, are at the forefront of precision measurement science, with recent advancements highlighting their technical components, measurement accuracy, and future potential applications.

Contribution

This review comprehensively covers the development, technical aspects, and performance of optical atomic clocks based on ions and neutral atoms, providing insights into their current state and future outlook.

Findings

High measurement precision achieved

Systematic uncertainties characterized

Potential for advanced applications

Abstract

Optical atomic clocks represent the state-of-the-art in the frontier of modern measurement science. In this article we provide a detailed review on the development of optical atomic clocks that are based on trapped single ions and many neutral atoms. We discuss important technical ingredients for optical clocks, and we present measurement precision and systematic uncertainty associated with some of the best clocks to date. We conclude with an outlook on the exciting prospect for clock applications.