Free-space dissemination of time and frequency with 10−19 instability over 113 km

Qi Shen, Jian-Yu Guan, Ji-Gang Ren, Ting Zeng, Lei Hou, Min Li, Yuan Cao, Jin-Jian Han, Meng-Zhe Lian, Yan-Wei Chen, Xin-Xin Peng, Shao-Mao Wang, Dan-Yang Zhu, Xi-Ping Shi, Zheng-Guo Wang, Ye Li, Wei-Yue Liu, Ge-Sheng Pan, Yong Wang, Zhao-Hui Li, Jin-Cai Wu, Yan-Yan Zhang, Fa-Xi Chen, Chao-Yang Lu, Sheng-Kai Liao, Juan Yin, Jian-Jun Jia, Cheng-Zhi Peng, Hai-Feng Jiang (), Qiang Zhang () and Jian-Wei Pan ()
Additional contact information
Qi Shen: University of Science and Technology of China
Jian-Yu Guan: University of Science and Technology of China
Ji-Gang Ren: University of Science and Technology of China
Ting Zeng: University of Science and Technology of China
Lei Hou: University of Science and Technology of China
Min Li: University of Science and Technology of China
Yuan Cao: University of Science and Technology of China
Jin-Jian Han: University of Science and Technology of China
Meng-Zhe Lian: University of Science and Technology of China
Yan-Wei Chen: University of Science and Technology of China
Xin-Xin Peng: University of Science and Technology of China
Shao-Mao Wang: University of Science and Technology of China
Dan-Yang Zhu: University of Science and Technology of China
Xi-Ping Shi: Ningbo University
Zheng-Guo Wang: University of Science and Technology of China
Ye Li: Ningbo University
Wei-Yue Liu: Ningbo University
Ge-Sheng Pan: University of Science and Technology of China
Yong Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhao-Hui Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jin-Cai Wu: University of Science and Technology of China
Yan-Yan Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Fa-Xi Chen: Jinan Institute of Quantum Technology
Chao-Yang Lu: University of Science and Technology of China
Sheng-Kai Liao: University of Science and Technology of China
Juan Yin: University of Science and Technology of China
Jian-Jun Jia: University of Science and Technology of China
Cheng-Zhi Peng: University of Science and Technology of China
Hai-Feng Jiang: University of Science and Technology of China
Qiang Zhang: University of Science and Technology of China
Jian-Wei Pan: University of Science and Technology of China

Nature, 2022, vol. 610, issue 7933, 661-666

Abstract: Abstract Networks of optical clocks find applications in precise navigation1,2, in efforts to redefine the fundamental unit of the ‘second’3–6 and in gravitational tests7. As the frequency instability for state-of-the-art optical clocks has reached the 10−19 level8,9, the vision of a global-scale optical network that achieves comparable performances requires the dissemination of time and frequency over a long-distance free-space link with a similar instability of 10−19. However, previous attempts at free-space dissemination of time and frequency at high precision did not extend beyond dozens of kilometres10,11. Here we report time–frequency dissemination with an offset of 6.3 × 10−20 ± 3.4 × 10−19 and an instability of less than 4 × 10−19 at 10,000 s through a free-space link of 113 km. Key technologies essential to this achievement include the deployment of high-power frequency combs, high-stability and high-efficiency optical transceiver systems and efficient linear optical sampling. We observe that the stability we have reached is retained for channel losses up to 89 dB. The technique we report can not only be directly used in ground-based applications, but could also lay the groundwork for future satellite time–frequency dissemination.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05228-5

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