Nature Communications (Jul 2018)

In-orbit operation of an atomic clock based on laser-cooled 87Rb atoms

  • Liang Liu,
  • De-Sheng Lü,
  • Wei-Biao Chen,
  • Tang Li,
  • Qiu-Zhi Qu,
  • Bin Wang,
  • Lin Li,
  • Wei Ren,
  • Zuo-Ren Dong,
  • Jian-Bo Zhao,
  • Wen-Bing Xia,
  • Xin Zhao,
  • Jing-Wei Ji,
  • Mei-Feng Ye,
  • Yan-Guang Sun,
  • Yuan-Yuan Yao,
  • Dan Song,
  • Zhao-Gang Liang,
  • Shan-Jiang Hu,
  • Dun-He Yu,
  • Xia Hou,
  • Wei Shi,
  • Hua-Guo Zang,
  • Jing-Feng Xiang,
  • Xiang-Kai Peng,
  • Yu-Zhu Wang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05219-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

Read online

Cold atom clocks are among the most precise measuring devices and play key roles in everyday life and scientific explorations. Here the authors demonstrate the first in-orbit atomic clock using cold Rb atoms operating in microgravity and opening possibilities of space surveys and tests of fundamental physics.