Compact Quantum Clocks For Precise And Autonomous Position Navigation And Timing

Precision timing is essential for accurate navigation and a large variety of civilian commercial and military infrastructure services including both small and large fixed and mobile platforms. These include: space, air, ground and marine vehicles, RADAR, reliable energy supply, safe transport links for air traffic control, network servers for data networks and electronic financial transactions.

All of these are critical to the security and stability of the nation as many systems currently rely on large atomic clocks and the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for the timing signal.

The aim of this project is to develop new types of atomic clock which offer enhanced timing in a compact and autonomous form-factor. This work will produce simplified Physics packages which when combined with state-of-the-arts flywheel oscillators produce highly accurate and stable compact atomic clocks. This high level of stability enables systems based on these clocks to operate independently of external sources.