When
Where
Title
Optical lattice clocks: physics and application
Abstract
Optical atomic clocks now reach fractional frequency uncertainties below 10^-18, pressing toward a redefinition of the second. Optical lattice clocks harness laser cooling and trapping technologies for holding and probing ultracold atoms. These clocks are based on simple atomic spectroscopy, but as we continue zooming in to narrower frequency ranges, we encounter challenges that test our fundamental understanding of how atom-light and atom-atom interactions work, demanding cutting-edge laser stabilization and quantum state control. In this talk, I will introduce optical lattice clock experiments using strontium atoms and discuss the physics we can learn from them, including quantum many-body dynamics and quantum optical aspects. I will also highlight their practical applications, such as their capability as precision timekeepers, relativistic height sensing (detecting redshift down to millimeter scale), tests of fundamental physics, and emerging clock networks.
Bio
Kyungtae Kim was born in South Korea. He received his Bachelor's and Ph.D. degrees in physics from KAIST, South Korea, in 2021, where he helped set up and study a quantum gas experiment with lithium atoms. Since 2021, he has been a postdoctoral researcher at JILA, University of Colorado Boulder, USA, focusing on the physics of strontium optical lattice clock experiments.
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