Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AQuRA (Advanced quantum clock for real-world applications)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-12-01 bis 2023-11-30
Optical clocks are amazingly stable frequency standards, which would remain accurate to within one second over the age of the universe. Bringing these clocks from the lab to the market offers great opportunities for telecommunications, navigation, sensing, and science, but no commercial optical clock exists. Europe's world leading optical clock technology within academia and national metrology institutes combined with its strong photonics industry, provide us with a golden opportunity to take a leading position in this strategic technology. With AQuRA we seize this opportunity and build up a sovereign, efficient industrial capability able to build the world’s most advanced quantum clocks. We will deliver the first industry-built, rugged and transportable optical clock at TRL 7 with an accuracy that approaches the best laboratory clocks. This is possible by combining our industry partners’ experience in rugged photonics products with the know-how of our world-leading academic and national metrology institute partners. Thereby we strengthen and diversify the European supply chain of optical clock components, filling critical gaps in the supply chain, and thereby establish a sovereign, competitive industry for optical clocks. In particular we develop the rugged laser sources, miniaturized optical interface circuits, and the atom source needed for an optical clock, all of which will also become products on their own. Partner Menlo Systems will integrate these components with their ultrastable laser system into the AQuRA optical clock. We will accelerate market uptake by demonstrating our clock's usefulness to applications in telecom, geodesy and metrology, and by engaging with end users.
"The design of the AQuRA clock has been finalized, including the interfaces between components delivered by different partners. Partners are currently finalizing the designs of their AQuRA clock components, are procuring the parts and materials needed to build those components and some have started manufacturing some of those components.UvA is coordinating the consortium, with exception of the technical coordination, which is done by MENLO. UvA has employed project manager Ineke Brouwer to handle project coordination together with Florian Schreck.
UvA is the Lead Beneficiary for WP8 and 9. Both WPs are being executed according to plan. In the scientific WPs UvA is responsible for Task 3.6 4.4 7.3 and 7.5. For Task 3.6 UvA has finalized the design of the optical circuits. Most parts and materials have been purchased and the manufacturing technology for the optical benches is being matured. For Task 4.4 UvA has decided on the specifications of the control system with the partners concerned (CNRS, UMK and MENLO) and mostly finalized the design of the control electronics. About half of the control software adaptations needed for AQuRA has been written and tested. For Task 7.3 an overview of suitable algorithms has been made. For Task 7.4 a fibre link between UvA and VU has been prepared.
MEN is the Lead Beneficiary for WP1,WP4 and WP5. WP1 is completed, and deliverables D1.1 and D1.2 have been submitted to the EC. WP4 is in active progress with the design phase finalized and the production process started. Preparations for WP5 are ongoing.
NKTP is the Lead Beneficiary for WP2. WP2 is in active progress and all Partners in WP2 have submitted details on the laser sytem architecture. This includes information on the laser systems mechanical and electrical requirements as well as the expected optical performance.
Exail is contributing to WP2 through the development of the 813 nm laser source that will be used to trap the Sr atoms in an optical lattice. We are developing a technique based on fibered optical amplifiers and non linear frequency conversion techniques in order to propose a solution that will offer the extreme performances required for this application, and the practical advantages offered by fiber optical amplifiers. We have built breadboards to evaluate the optical performances of our solution and have started preparing the integrated version of our prototype.
CNRS has contributed to WP1 by designing the physics package and its modules. It comprises the vacuum system, the collimation optics arount it, the detection system, and the temperature and B field sensors. CNRS is the lead beneficiary for WP3, and has started the manufacturing of the main vacuum system and atom source. CNRS has contributed to WP 4 by designing the frequency converter module. CNRS will contribute to the clock integration (WP5) and validation (WP6). CNRS has established contact with the underground lab at Modane.
UMK is responsible for the Zeeman slower and magnetic coil systems in WP3. The permanent magnets-based Zeeman slower is designed, simulated, constructed and tested in a live system of a blue MOT. The MOT coils and the compensation coils system are designed accordingly to the science vacuum chamber. The electronic drivers for current stabilisation, external control and current direction switching were designed and are in production.
QQU is beneficiary for WP 1, 2, 5, 8 and 9. WP1 has finished, WP2 is just started and in progress. In WP1, QQU contributed to the final system design, Completed and reported by Menlo Systems. In WP2 QQU will develop and supply a repump laser module based on silicon nitride integrated photonic circuits.
Vexlum is contributing to WP2 with active development on the 461 nm cooling laser. Developments include new compact mechanics (VXL) designed for industrial use and for system integration, and new electronics and remote-control interface. The developments are in the prototype phase and expected to be ready on time for system integration. The secondary fallback option is to use the existing VALO system, on which the design specifications (size, output, etc.) in the Deliverables were based on.
PTB is the Lead Beneficiary for WP6. WP6 will be starting in year 3 of teh project. First, the performance of the clock laser will be evaluated, followed be a full eveluation of the Aqura clock. Persently, PTB is contributing to WPs 1 and 2.
UvA is the Lead Beneficiary for WP8 and 9. Both WPs are being executed according to plan. In the scientific WPs UvA is responsible for Task 3.6 4.4 7.3 and 7.5. For Task 3.6 UvA has finalized the design of the optical circuits. Most parts and materials have been purchased and the manufacturing technology for the optical benches is being matured. For Task 4.4 UvA has decided on the specifications of the control system with the partners concerned (CNRS, UMK and MENLO) and mostly finalized the design of the control electronics. About half of the control software adaptations needed for AQuRA has been written and tested. For Task 7.3 an overview of suitable algorithms has been made. For Task 7.4 a fibre link between UvA and VU has been prepared.
MEN is the Lead Beneficiary for WP1,WP4 and WP5. WP1 is completed, and deliverables D1.1 and D1.2 have been submitted to the EC. WP4 is in active progress with the design phase finalized and the production process started. Preparations for WP5 are ongoing.
NKTP is the Lead Beneficiary for WP2. WP2 is in active progress and all Partners in WP2 have submitted details on the laser sytem architecture. This includes information on the laser systems mechanical and electrical requirements as well as the expected optical performance.
Exail is contributing to WP2 through the development of the 813 nm laser source that will be used to trap the Sr atoms in an optical lattice. We are developing a technique based on fibered optical amplifiers and non linear frequency conversion techniques in order to propose a solution that will offer the extreme performances required for this application, and the practical advantages offered by fiber optical amplifiers. We have built breadboards to evaluate the optical performances of our solution and have started preparing the integrated version of our prototype.
CNRS has contributed to WP1 by designing the physics package and its modules. It comprises the vacuum system, the collimation optics arount it, the detection system, and the temperature and B field sensors. CNRS is the lead beneficiary for WP3, and has started the manufacturing of the main vacuum system and atom source. CNRS has contributed to WP 4 by designing the frequency converter module. CNRS will contribute to the clock integration (WP5) and validation (WP6). CNRS has established contact with the underground lab at Modane.
UMK is responsible for the Zeeman slower and magnetic coil systems in WP3. The permanent magnets-based Zeeman slower is designed, simulated, constructed and tested in a live system of a blue MOT. The MOT coils and the compensation coils system are designed accordingly to the science vacuum chamber. The electronic drivers for current stabilisation, external control and current direction switching were designed and are in production.
QQU is beneficiary for WP 1, 2, 5, 8 and 9. WP1 has finished, WP2 is just started and in progress. In WP1, QQU contributed to the final system design, Completed and reported by Menlo Systems. In WP2 QQU will develop and supply a repump laser module based on silicon nitride integrated photonic circuits.
Vexlum is contributing to WP2 with active development on the 461 nm cooling laser. Developments include new compact mechanics (VXL) designed for industrial use and for system integration, and new electronics and remote-control interface. The developments are in the prototype phase and expected to be ready on time for system integration. The secondary fallback option is to use the existing VALO system, on which the design specifications (size, output, etc.) in the Deliverables were based on.
PTB is the Lead Beneficiary for WP6. WP6 will be starting in year 3 of teh project. First, the performance of the clock laser will be evaluated, followed be a full eveluation of the Aqura clock. Persently, PTB is contributing to WPs 1 and 2.
Industry: Value chain around optical clocks, from components over optical clocks to clock applications as a service. Further products: use AQuRA technology for highly reliable laser sources more wavelengths. Flexibly designed optical circuits for devices beyond strontium clocks (e.g. for other optical clocks, quantum computers, simulators, atom interferometers)
Economic & societal effects of field-deployable clocks: networks independent of GNSS timing avoid potential outages costing ~billion Euro/day. Terrestrial navigation with cm-level accuracy renders self-driving cars more reliable and helps them to market. Higher data bandwidth networks, improved satellite navigation, GNSS spoofing detection for mobile platforms, improved environmental sensing (e.g. for disaster forecasting).
New products for the scientific community: simpler construction of more reliable research instruments (see list above), letting researchers focus on science instead of machine maintenance.
Economic effects of new lasers: strengthen European supply chain for lasers and research & commercial versions of the instruments listed above.
Economic & societal effects of field-deployable clocks: networks independent of GNSS timing avoid potential outages costing ~billion Euro/day. Terrestrial navigation with cm-level accuracy renders self-driving cars more reliable and helps them to market. Higher data bandwidth networks, improved satellite navigation, GNSS spoofing detection for mobile platforms, improved environmental sensing (e.g. for disaster forecasting).
New products for the scientific community: simpler construction of more reliable research instruments (see list above), letting researchers focus on science instead of machine maintenance.
Economic effects of new lasers: strengthen European supply chain for lasers and research & commercial versions of the instruments listed above.