Optical Quantum Clocks | TOPTICA Photonics AG

Optical Quantum Clock

Complete commercial quantum metrology solution

Laser-cooled trapped ytterbium ion for high stability & accuracy
Reliable operation in two 19” industrial racks

An optical atomic clock from the leading laser provider for quantum technologies

TOPTICA is known to customers all around the world as provider of high-end lasers and laser rack systems. Building on this unique expertise and a deep understanding of specific quantum applications, TOPTICA is finally ready to offer its first complete quantum technology solution: a commercial single-Yb⁺-ion frequency standard. The system runs in two industrial 19” racks and can be accessed and controlled remotely. The optical frequency standard with its output at 871 nm can be combined with TOPTICA’s Difference Frequency Comb (DFC) to provide a complete clock solution with low-phase-noise RF outputs.

TOPTICA’s optical quantum clock builds closely on the very successful collaborative research project opticlock, that was jointly coordinated by TOPTICA and the German National Metrology Institute PTB.

TOPTICA also offers central components and enabling technology for other clock technologies (see related products below).

Please contact our optical clock experts to learn more and discuss how we can match your demands.

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Completed collaborative research projects on optical clocks
Optical ion clocks
opticlock
Optical Single-Ion Clock for Users
Translating laboratory-grade optical single-ion clocks into compact, robust, and user-friendly systems by leveraging ultra-stable laser systems for precision control of ytterbium ions. The project focused on developing a transportable optical frequency standard that surpasses hydrogen masers in both stability and accuracy, enabling high-precision applications in telecommunications, geodesy, and satellite navigation outside specialized labs.
Optical lattice clocks
iqClock
Integrated Quantum Clock
The iqClock project represents a groundbreaking effort to miniaturize and stabilize ultra-narrow linewidth lasers for next-generation optical atomic clocks, pushing the boundaries of frequency stability and coherence. By integrating laser systems with quantum logic and lattice clock architectures, the project aimed to create transportable, field-deployable time standards with unprecedented precision—potentially revolutionizing navigation, geodesy, and fundamental physics experiments.
SOC2
Towards Neutral-atom Space Optical Clocks
A pioneering initiative to develop ultra-stable, transportable optical lattice clocks using strontium and ytterbium atoms, with laser systems engineered for exceptional frequency stability, compactness, and robustness. These systems were designed to enable high-precision timekeeping for applications in fundamental physics, geodesy, and intercontinental clock comparisons.
Nuclear Clocks
nuClock
Towards a Nuclear Clock with Thorium-229
Realizing the first nuclear clock by targeting the ultra-low-energy isomer transition in thorium-229, which requires the development of novel vacuum-ultraviolet laser systems with extreme precision and stability. This endeavor pushes the frontiers of laser spectroscopy and nonlinear optics, aiming to surpass atomic clock performance with a time standard that is more robust, less sensitive to environmental perturbations, and potentially revolutionary for navigation, telecommunications, and fundamental physics.