Development of Compact and Robust Physical System for Strontium Optical Lattice Clock

Abstract

Compact and robust optical clocks are significant in scientific research and engineering. Here, we present a physical system for a strontium atomic optical clock with dimensions of 465 mm × 588 mm × 415 mm and a weight of 66.6 kg. To date, this is one of the most compact physical systems ever reported. The application of the magnetic shielding box in this physical system allowed the effect of external magnetic field fluctuation on cold atoms to be negligible. The physical system passed rigorous environmental tests and remained operational. A wavelength meter integrated in this physical system could monitor the wavelengths of the incident laser, and it could automatically calibrate the wavelengths of all lasers using a microcomputer. This compact and robust physical system could be a hardware basis for demonstrating a portable optical clock or even a space optical clock.