Chief Scientist Laboratories Quantum Metrology Laboratory

Chief Scientist: Hidetoshi Katori (D.Eng.)

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Research Summary

The quest for the superb precision of atomic spectroscopy contributed to the birth of the quantum-mechanics and to progress of modern physics. Highly precise atomic clocks, which are the outcomes of such research, are indeed the key technologies that support our modern society, such as the navigation with GPS and synchronization of high-speed communication networks. In 2001, we proposed a new atomic clock scheme, "optical lattice clock," which may allow us accessing to 18-digit-precision time/frequency in a measurement time of seconds. Armed with such high precision atomic clocks, we investigate fundamental physics such as the constancy of fundamental constants, whose coupling to the gravity, as well as application of such clocks to relativistic geodesy. In parallel, we explore quantum information technology and quantum metrology using "optical lattice clocks" as platforms to investigate the quantum feedback scheme and quantum simulator/computation.

Main Research Fields

Engineering

Related Research Fields

Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering

Keywords

Quantum electronics
Atomic clock
Quantum metrology
Optical lattice clock
Relativistic geodesy

Selected Publications

1. Takamoto, T., Ushijima, I., Ohmae, N., Yahagi, T., Kokado, K., Shinkai., H, and Katori, H.:
"Test of general relativity by a pair of transportable optical lattice clocks"
Nat. Photon. 14, 411 (2020).
2. Yamaguchi, A., Safronova, M. S., Gibble, K., and Katori, H.:
"Narrow-line Cooling and Determination of Magic Wavelength of Cd"
Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 113201 (2019).
3. Okaba, S., Yu, D., Vincetti, L., Benabid, F., and Katori, H.:
"Superradiance from lattice-confined atoms inside hollow core fibre"
Commun. Physics 2, 136 (2019).
4. Yamaguchi, A., Muramatsu, H., Hayashi, T., Yuasa, N., Nakamura, K., Takimoto, M., Haba, H., Konashi, K., Watanabe, M., Kikunaga, H., Maehata, K., Yamasaki, N. Y., and Mitsuda, K.:
"Energy of the ²²⁹Th Nuclear Clock Isomer Determined by Absolute γ-ray Energy Difference"
Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 222501 (2019).
5. Ushijima, I., Takamoto, M., and Katori, H.:
"Operational Magic Intensity for Sr Optical Lattice Clocks"
Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 263202 (2018).
6. Katori, H.:
"Tricks for ticks"
Nat. Phys. 13, 414 (2017).
7. Takano, T., Takamoto, M., Ushijima, I., Ohmae, N., Akatsuka, T., Yamaguchi, A., Kuroishi, Y., Munekane, H., Miyahara, B., and Katori, H.:
"Geopotential measurements with synchronously linked optical lattice clocks"
Nat. Photon. 10, 662 (2016).
8. Nemitz, N., Ohkubo, T., Takamoto, M., Ushijima, I., Das, M., Ohmae, N., and Katori, H.:
"Frequency ratio of Yb and Sr clocks with 5×10 ^-17 uncertainty at 150 seconds averaging time"
Nat. Photon. 10, 258 (2016).
9. Yamanaka, K., Ohmae, N., Ushijima, I., Takamoto, M., and Katori, H.:
"Frequency Ratio of ¹⁹⁹Hg and ⁸⁷Sr Optical Lattice Clocks beyond the SI Limit"
Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 230801 (2015).
10. Ushijima, I., Takamoto, M., Das, M., Ohkubo, T., and Katori, H.:
"Cryogenic optical lattice clocks"
Nat. Photon. 9, 185 (2015).