Atomic Clock Frequency Ratios with Fractional Uncertainty
Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 033201 – Published 14 July, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/g865-9mk1
Abstract
We report high-precision frequency ratio measurements between optical atomic clocks based on , , and . With total fractional uncertainties at or below , these measurements meet an important milestone criterion for redefinition of the second in the International System of Units. Discrepancies in ratios at approximately and the ratio at in fractional units compared to our previous measurements underscore the importance of repeated, high-precision comparisons by different laboratories. A key upgrade from our previous work is the use of a common ultrastable reference delivered to all clocks via a 3.6-km phase-stabilized fiber link between two institutions, enabling better accuracy and stability in frequency transfer. Derived from a cryogenic single-crystal silicon cavity, this reference improves comparison stability by a factor of 2–3 over previous systems, with an optical lattice clock ratio achieving a fractional instability of at 1 s. Identifying individual clock stabilities with a three-corner-hat measurement, we demonstrate the most stable optical lattice and trapped-ion clocks used in a multispecies comparison. By enabling faster comparisons, this stability will improve sensitivity to nonwhite noise processes and other underlying limits of state-of-the-art optical frequency standards.