PLEASANTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vector Atomic has announced the launch of Evergreen-30, the world’s first fully integrated commercial optical clock. EG-30 introduces a new performance class to commercial timing markets, offering 25 femtosecond stability (0.000000000000025 s) at one second, and multiday, sub-nanosecond holdover. The unique combination of stability, low drift, and compact size supports applications including GNSS resilience, data center synchronization, coherent radar, quantum computing, and optical metrology.
Optical atomic clocks have revolutionized precision timekeeping. Laboratory clocks now reach timing inaccuracies below 10-18. Until now, however, optical clocks have not made it to market due to their size, environmental sensitivity, and cost. EG-30 packs a lab’s worth of optical timekeeping equipment into a 29 L rackmount instrument. Versus active hydrogen masers, EG-30 provides superior short-term stability and phase noise, and comparable long-term drift, in one-tenth the volume.
EG-30 improves upon Vector Atomic’s first-generation mobile optical clocks that have successfully operated on land and at sea. The clock is designed for non-expert end-users. The 3U package is easily carried by a single user, fits standard server racks, and offers simple set-up: plug it into a wall socket, press start, and the clock is running in minutes. EG-30 outputs ultralow phase noise microwave signals at 10 and 100 MHz and a 1 PPS signal. Optional optical outputs provide a 1064 nm wavelength reference and 1560 nm frequency comb for optical metrology.
EG-30’s simple and robust design was recently on display at American Possibilities: A White House Demo Day, an event showcasing technologies developed under federal investment. EG-30’s underlying technology was supported by the US Navy, Army, DARPA, and OUSD.
Orders have been taken for advanced production units to be delivered in early 2024. Vector Atomic plans a broader launch of EG-30 later in 2024. “After we posted our results to ArXiv, customers reached out eager to get their hands on these clocks. So we’re accelerating production to deliver an advanced batch,” said Vector Atomic CEO Jamil Abo-Shaeer.
“Our customers have the most stringent timing requirements in the market, making them very knowledgeable. It’s gratifying that they’re putting their trust in us. It’s been a tremendous effort by our team to achieve these performance levels at this size and we’re excited to see our customers benefit from Evergreen,” said Chief Engineer Marty Boyd.
Customers interested in advanced or general production EG-30 units can contact Vector Atomic Sales.
About Vector Atomic
Vector Atomic is engineering quantum technology for applications including navigation, communications, and earth science. The company was founded in 2018 to develop and commercialize near-term quantum devices, including atomic clocks and inertial sensors. Vector Atomic hardware has been validated in harsh thermal, dynamic, and radiation environments seen on land, at sea, and in space. Vector Atomic is an employee-owned company based in Pleasanton, CA. To learn more, visit www.vectoratomic.com.