Project Description

Scientific Metrology of Time and Frequency is among the main activities currently underway in our laboratories. The area is not only scientifically important, but strategic for a country like Brazil. The development of our experiments has a support structure for comparison and dissemination of frequency references. We are also setting up a system to provide a local time scale and link local standards to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) via GNSS signal. Satellite receivers are compared to commercial and experimental standards.

There are currently two experiments developing patterns in the microwave regime: An atomic fountain and a compact clock based on cold atoms. With the arrival of our frequency comb system (Menlo), we are now able to connect the microwave and optical domains. In this way, the experiments of neutral Sr, Sr ions and the ultrastable laser at 1550nm are all interconnected and linked to the RF domain.

Our laboratory is also underway to become able to contribute to the formation of UTC(BIPM), through GPS signal reception and comparison with local clocks.