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Physical Measurement Laboratory

Time and Frequency Division

The Time and Frequency Division maintains the standard for frequency and time interval for the United States, provides official time to the United States, and carries out a broad program of research and service activities in time and frequency metrology.

chip scale atomic beam clock
Photonics and Chip Scale Devices
Boulder Building 1
Time and Frequency Metrology and Distribution
Quantum information, sensing, and networking
Quantum Information, Sensing, and Networking

Featured Content

News and Updates

Projects and Programs

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Bringing the SI to Global Atmospheric Greenhouse Gas Measurement

Ongoing
This multifaceted program leverages expertise in three complementary technical focus areas- all of which involve SI-traceable measurements of relevant atmospheric species such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor and oxygen. The efforts include gravimetrically based preparation of primary
laser technologies

Chip-scale ultraprecise laser technologies

Ongoing
Lasers with high spectral purity are used in a diverse application space, including coherent high-speed communications, physical sensing, and manipulation of quantum systems. Lab bench scale Fabry-Perot cavities based on sophisticated vibration, thermal, and atmospheric isolation have made possible
chip scale atomic beam clock

Compact Cold Atom Instruments

Ongoing
Chip-scale laser cooling This project develops technologies to achieve chip-scale laser cooling, beyond direct miniaturization of existing laboratory techniques. This includes development of the vacuum technology for realizing low power, passively pumped ultra-high vacuum chambers [1,2] and novel
optical clock

Compact strontium optical clock with integrated photonics

Ongoing
The development of a liter-scale apparatus to produce Sr, would enable highly accurate, transportable optical clocks based on their ultra-narrow optical transition. However, straightforward miniaturization of the traditional optical infrastructure necessary to implement multi-step laser cooling has

Awards

Press Coverage

Illustration shows a spacecraft orbiting the Moon with the Earth visible in the background over the lunar horizon.

Moon GPS Is Coming

Wired
“You have arrived at your destination.” This phrase, delivered with robotic cadence, is familiar to anyone who uses satellite navigation systems to guide them
Illustration shows a spacecraft orbiting the Moon with the Earth visible in the background over the lunar horizon.

What time is it on the Moon?

eeNews
The lunar coordinate time system could serve as a foundation for developing a GPS-like navigation system on the Moon. This would be a critical piece of
Illustration shows a spacecraft orbiting the Moon with the Earth visible in the background over the lunar horizon.

Will lunar time be different from Earth time?

Universe Magazine
The debate over what a single lunar time standard should be continues. The International Astronomical Union has recently joined the process. Scientists call on

Patents

Continuous-Wave Laser Source And Making A Continuous-Wave Laser Source

NIST Inventors
Scott Papp
A method of designing a continuous-wave laser source having a target output wavelength and an input laser with a wavelength different from the target output wavelength includes the steps of receiving the target output wavelength, and subordinate properties of the laser source; determining a

Delivering Signals To Cryogenic Environments Via Photonic Links

NIST Inventors
Franklyn Quinlan , Scott Diddams , Joe Aumentado , Florent Lecocq and John Teufel
An operational environment is disclosed herein that includes a cryogenic environment and a signal source. The cryogenic environment includes a signal target, an optical link, signal converter devices, and an electrical link. Outside of the cryogenic environment, the signal source generates an

Nobel Prize

2012 Nobel Prize in Physics to Dave Wineland of NIST Time and Frequency Division

Dave Wineland, of the Ion Storage Group, shares the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics with Serge Haroche of France "for ground-breaking experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems." Dave and his colleagues use these techniques for research in quantum information processing, quantum simulation, atomic clocks, and other areas.

More information about the Ion Storage Group can be found here.

For more information about the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics, please see the Nobel Prize organization site.

Selected Publications

Contacts

Division Chief

Division Secretary