• Optical atomic clocks have transformed precision timekeeping, offering superior stability and accuracy compared to their microwave-based counterparts. A key challenge in achieving their exceptional performance is mitigating the Doppler shift caused by the thermal motion of atoms, which limits the achievable spectroscopic resolution. Conventionally, this shift is suppressed by tightly confining atoms, as in optical lattice and ion clocks. An emerging alternative is Doppler-free excitation via multi-photon processes, where the Doppler shifts of the individual laser beams cancel out. In this talk, I will explore the advantages and limitations of this Doppler-free approach and highlight recent developments in two- and three-photon optical clocks. These systems promise to rival or surpass microwave clocks in performance while maintaining their simplicity and robustness.

  • In this presentation, I will briefly describe the work carried out by the Frequency and Time (FT) group, a subdivision of the Metrology Research Centre at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). The first part of the presentation will introduce our team’s operations, including our calibration services, the realization and dissemination of UTC(NRC), and the operation and maintenance of our primary and secondary frequency standards that contribute to TAI. The second part will focus primarily on our recent developments in support of the international effort toward redefining the SI second based on optical atomic transitions.


     

  • Continuous variable quantum optics presents a promising avenue for the development of quantum technologies. Xanadu's recent prototype, Aurora, showcases the potential of scaling and networking within a modular architecture for the purposes of building a fault tolerant quantum computer. Aurora encompasses all the essential components and functionalities required for a photonic quantum computer, serving as a scale model of Xanadu's quantum architecture.  It also constitutes a large quantum network, interconnecting multiple photonic integrated chips coherently. In this talk, I'll highlight some of the key experimental results and engineering milestones achieved with Aurora and discuss how the lessons learned from this demonstration inform our path to building a fault-tolerant quantum computer.