High Precision Physics using an Optical Fibre Link and Optical Frequency Comb

The French Optical Society (Société Française d’Optique) is happy to announce a new series of annual international thematic schools devoted to hot topics in optics and photonics, held every year at Les Houches School of Physics.
After more than 15 years of development, optical fiber links and optical frequency combs are now sufficiently mature to be spread and shared outside the time/frequency metrological institutes. The school follows on from the international development of optical fiber links and its objective is thus to broadcast among a wide community of physicist the possibilities of high precision measurement thanks to the optical fiber transfer of an optical frequency reference, coupled to a frequency comb. These setup enable any laboratory to access an ultrastable and accurate reference frequency which opens the way to high-precision experiments in a wide range of physical domain. In order to benefit from its metrological performance, the optical reference frequency disseminated by optical fiber links can then be transferred to a wide spectral range from RF to UV frequencies thanks to optical frequency combs. In addition, these combs are ideal tools for high-resolution atomic and molecular spectroscopy.
The attendants will learn both the basics, performance and limitations of these two tools and how to take advantage of them for high-precision measurements. The applications in sight concern for instance tests of fundamental physics, atomic and molecular high-resolution spectroscopy using either stabilized lasers or new spectroscopic methods, frequency transfer for radio astronomy and geodesy and novel applications concerning Earth observation.

High Precision Physics using an Optical Fibre Link and Optical Frequency Comb
22-26 April 2019, École de Physique des Houches (France).

=> More information.

5èmes Journées « Micro et Nano Technologies pour l’Inertiel »

La DGA et l’ONERA se proposent d’organiser les 26 et 27 mars 2019 les 5èmes Journées « Micro et Nano Technologies pour l’Inertiel ».

Ces journées se dérouleront sur le site de l’ONERA Palaiseau, 8 Chemin de la Hunière. Elles ont vocation à rassembler l’ensemble de la communauté française impliquée dans l’inertiel en créant un espace d’échange privilégié entre les donneurs d’ordre et les différents acteurs de l’industrie et du monde académique. Elles permettent aussi de dresser un état des lieux des développements , d’identifier les tendances et les nouveaux besoins applicatifs ou encore de détecter les éventuelles ruptures.

Pour ces 5èmes journées, nous nous proposons d’élargir les thèmes traditionnellement centrés sur les composants inertiels (accéléromètres, gyromètres, magnétomètres) et UMIs issus des micro/nano-technologies , aux composants temps/fréquence, et plus particulièrement axé sur l’apport des micro/nano technologies dans le domaine. Nous prévoyons aussi une session « rupture » autour de l’interférométrie à onde de matière, ses applications dans les mesures inertielles et les challenges associés dans la miniaturisation de ces composants.

Afin de bâtir le programme détaillé de ces journées, merci de nous faire part rapidement de vos intentions de communication. Le format retenu sera une communication orale de 20 mn, questions comprises, organisé en différentes sessions, avec une participation équilibrée entre les industriels/start-ups, les académiques et donneurs d’ordre.

L’inscription est gratuite mais obligatoire.

Workshop “Use-cases from quantum technologies for sensing and metrology”

A first of his kind, the workshop “Use-cases from quantum technologies for sensing and metrology” aims to explore the use-cases from quantum technologies for sensing and metrology applications. The chosen method is based on a prospective analysis associating quantum technology experts, and technology prescribers in their field (research, industry or market), able to define the relevant performances, needs and ultimately markets.

Six technology areas will be considered, covering both use cases in research (may involve high-tech industry, or academia), where the highest performances are targeted, where the market sizes can be small and the cost may play a secondary role, and use cases for the end-user, where the typical market sizes are very large, the costs have to be low and the device sizes have (often) to be small. These areas are:

  • Quantum enhanced magnetometry
  • Gravimeters
  • Detecting microwave radiations, and applications
  • Detecting radiation at single photon level, and applications
  • Time references
  • Quantum enhanced interferometry, and applications

Be at the forefront of thinking about the impact of quantum technologies on sensors and metrology!

December 10-11, 2018 – Institut Néel (Grenoble, France).

⇒ More information and registration

EFTS 2019 – European Frequency and Time Seminar (announcement)

We are pleased to announce the 7th European Frequency and Time Seminar (EFTS), Besancon, France, July 1-5, 2019.

The EFTS is an intensive full-week seminar intended to provide education and training with lectures and laboratory sessions. It targets a broad audience: Engineers, Ph.D. Students, Post-doc Fellows, Young Scientists, Newcomers, etc.

This seminar is original in the following:
· Broad spectrum of topics related to time and frequency
· Broad target audience, yet keeping high level education
· Balance between academic and applied issues
· True laboratory sessions (as opposite to demos). The attendees are expected to practice on a wide range of instruments made available.

At the 2019 EFTS, we plan 23 lectures, 12 H labs in small groups, visits at the Femto-ST Institute and the Observatory of Besancon, social events, and an Astronomy Session on the “exact time” from stars.

Registrations will only open at the end of January. However, pre-registrations (no invoice issued) are welcome.

Detailed program and Abstracts are being prepared, and will be available later. In the meanwhile, you can download the Abstracts of the previous edition.
You may also like the Enrico’s Chart of Phase Noise and Allan Variance.

Registration
January 2019: Registrations open.
Thursday, April 25, 2019: Early Birds (reduced rate) deadline.
Wednesday, June 12, 2019: Regular Participants (full rate) deadline.
Notice that there is a limited number of places set by the capacity of labs, first registered, first served.
A small number in excess can be allowed on a reduced version of the seminar (full lectures, and 4-6 H labs only). Contact us for availability and rate.

About
The EFTS is a non-profit seminar started in 2013 by Enrico Rubiola, and run every year at the Femto-ST Institute. It is sponsored by Gov, Academic and Int’l Institutions, and lives on the volunteer work of its Instructors and Staff.
The Femto-ST Institute is a French Gov lab affiliated to the National Research Council CNRS under the number UMR 6174.

EQTC 2019 – European Quantum Technologies Conference

EQTC 2019 is the 1st international conference of the European Quantum Flagship.
Join EQTC 2019 for a full coverage of European and International most prominent and recent advances in quantum technologies.
Basic science, communication, computing, simulation, sensing areas will each be covered through plenary and parallel sessions, as well as poster sessions.
EQTC 2019 will provide you with a full update on the European Flagship momentum, strategies and opportunities including reports from and discussions with the Strategic Research Agenda, Innovation, and Education Working Groups of the Quantum Flagship.
EQTC 2019 will be a unique opportunity to meet the European and International academic and industrial QT communities, and also learn about other issues such as standardization and communication of quantum technologies towards the general public.

Date and place: February 18-22, 2019. Grenoble, France.

=> More information and website.

15th of November 2018 (Meudon) – PhD defense of Hélène Pihan-Le Bars

Hélène PIHAN-LE BARS will defend her thesis on 15th of November 2018 at 2:00 pm on the subject “From atomic clocks to the MICROSCOPE mission: search for Lorentz invariance violations”, realized in SYRTE under the direction of Peter Wolf and co-supervised by Christine Guerlin.

The defense will take place in the conference room of the building 9 (castle) of the site of Meudon of Paris observatory – 5, place Jules Janssen, 92190 Meudon -, in front of a jury composed of Eric Gourgoulhon, Saïda Guellati-Khélifa, Robertus Potting, Joël Bergé and Isabelle Petitbon.

The defense will be in french and will be followed by a buffet.

12th of November 2018 (Besançon) – PhD defense of Guillaume Wong

Guillaume WONG will defend his thesis on 12th of November 2018 at 2:00 pm on the subject “Design of self-encapsulated surface acoustic wave sensors in intermediate frequencies into a prestressed environment”, realized in SYRTE under the direction of Bernard DULMET and Thomas BARON.

The defense will take place in the amphitheater J-J Gagnepain at TEMIS Sciences (Besançon).

Jury :
– M. CRUNTEANU STANESCU Aurelian – Chargé de Recherche CNRS, XLIM – Rapporteur
– M. AUBERT Thierry – Maître de Conférences HDR, Centrale-Supélec – Rapporteur
– M. THERON Didier – Directeur de Recherche CNRS, IEMN – Examinateur
– M. CHOLLET Franck – Professeur des Universités, Université de Franche-Comté – Examinateur
– M. DULMET Bernard – Professeur des Universités, E.N.S.M.M – Directeur de thèse
– M. BARON Thomas – Ingénieur de Recherche HDR, E.N.S.M.M – Codirecteur de thèse

The defense will followed by a buffet at Time and Frequency Department in ENSMM.

Abstract: This thesis is part of the research and development of surface elastic wave components for the harsh environments exceeding 600°C. The objective is the realization of surface elastic waves self-encapsulated components which can reach a temperature of 900 ° C. In this work, we introduce a modulization method allowing a finite element finite resolution of an inhomogeneous bias. This method allows to directly calculate the bias problem and to extract the parameters calculated with the perturbation method as well as other parameters. This method contributes to the improvement of the realism of numerical simulations of structures subjected to wide variations of environmental parameters. We describe in this manuscript the approach of the study, the design, the realization and the tests of unencapsulated surface wave resonators for air annealing cycles up to 900 ° C as well as a bench of measurements allowing to perform the measurements in situ. We also discuss the design and implementation of the encapsulation of these resonators by an innovative technology by Wafer-Level Packaging for high temperatures.

26th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM)

The 26th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) will take place in Versailles in November 2018. At this meeting, we expect the CGPM to approve a resolution to revise the definitions of the International System of Units, the SI, which is based on the second, the metre, the kilogram, the ampere, the kelvin, the mole and the candela (the SI base units).

Over the last 50 years, scientists have measured constants of nature, such as the speed of light and the Planck constant, with increasing accuracy; indeed the metre was already redefined back in 1983 in terms of the speed of light. The inherent stability of these constants make them ideal for underpinning new definitions of the SI units and preparing the measurement system to meet the future demands of science and technology.

If the resolution is approved, the SI will be based on seven physical constants, and thus inherently stable. Most notably, this will mark the end of the last remaining physical artefact in the SI system – a cylinder of metal known as the International Prototype of the Kilogram.

The work needed to reach this point has taken many years, and has been a truly international effort. The universality of access that it will afford has been a long-standing goal for the metric system, dating back more than 200 years.

=> More information.

Assemblée Générale 2018 de REFIMEVE+

La 5ème Assemblée Générale de REFIMEVE+ se tiendra les 20 et 21 novembre 2018 dans les locaux de FEMTO-ST de l’ENSMM à Besançon. C’est l’un des partenaires de REFIMEVE+, déjà raccordé au signal métrologique.

Comme les années précédentes, cet événement s’adresse en priorité aux partenaires académiques et industriels du projet mais aussi à tous les acteurs qui s’intéressent au temps fréquence, à la métrologie et à toutes leurs applications liées.
Quelques sujets importants qui seront abordés :

  • La première réalisation d’un lien fibré métrologique utilisant des équipements industriels ;
  • Avancées du projet de supervision à distance du réseau REFIMEVE+ ;
  • Avancées du déploiement des équipements REFIMEVE+ sur le réseau RENATER ;
  • Prolongation du consortium REFIMEVE+ au-delà de 2019.

Une séance de posters est prévue.

=> Plus d’informations et inscription (gratuite, obligatoire).

Conférence-débat : Le nouveau système international d’unités (SI) fondé sur un choix de constantes physiques fondamentales

L’émergence d’une métrologie quantique a permis de rattacher toutes les unités de base à des constantes fondamentales de la physique. Un nouveau système d’unités a donc été proposé à la Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures de novembre 2018 qui supprime en particulier le kilogramme étalon matériel des unités de base. Cette évolution permet de garantir une universalité, une pérennité et une meilleure reproductibilité des mesures. Le choix des constantes va assurer une cohérence au nouveau système fondé essentiellement sur les progrès de l’interférométrie atomique et de la métrologie électrique quantique. Les développements de ces disciplines et leurs applications en métrologie seront discutés au cours de cette séance.

Conférence-débat de l’Académie des sciences, le 4 décembre 2018 de 14h30 à 16h45, dans la Grande salle des séances de l’Institut de France : “Le nouveau système international d’unités (SI) fondé sur un choix de constantes physiques fondamentales”.

Organisateurs
Christian Bordé et Christophe Salomon – de l’Académie des sciences

Intervenants
Christian Bordé, de l’Académie des sciences
Pierre Cladé, du Laboratoire Kastler Brossel (LKB), groupe Metrology of Simple Systems and Fundamental Tests
Wilfrid Poirier du Laboratoire national de mtrologie et d’essais (LNE), pôle de métrologie électrique
Sébastien Bize, Systèmes de référence temps-espace (SYRTE), équipe métrologie des fréquences optiques

=> Inscription obligatoire avant le 4 décembre 2018.