Three IEEE awards are presented annually at the IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium: the Cady Award, the Rabi Award, and the Sawyer Award.

Scope of Awards:

The W. G. Cady Award

The W. G. Cady Award is to recognize outstanding contributions related to the fields of piezoelectric or other classical frequency control, selection and measurement; and resonant sensor devices.

The I. I. Rabi Award

The I. I. Rabi Award is to recognize outstanding contributions related to the fields of atomic and molecular frequency standards, and time transfer and dissemination.

The C. B. Sawyer Memorial Award

The C. B. Sawyer Memorial Award is to recognize entrepreneurship or leadership in the frequency control community; or outstanding contributions in the development, production or characterization of resonator materials or structures.

=> Details about Award Descriptions and Nomination Procedures.

=> Questions regarding IEEE UFFC-S awards and proposals should be addressed to the IEEE IFCS Awards Chair, Awards Chair, James Camparo.

IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium (19-23 July 2020 – Keystone, Co, USA)

Mengzi HUANG will defend his thesis on 17th of September 2019 at 2:00 pm on the subject “Spin squeezing and spin dynamics in a trapped-atom clock”, realized at SYRTE and LKB under the supervision of Carlos Garrido Alzar and Jakob Reichel.

The defense will take place in the amphitheater of the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris (IAP).

The defense will be in English, in front of a jury composed of Monika Schleier-Smith, Morgan Mitchell, Ludovic Pricoupenko and Rodolphe Boudot.

Abstract: 

Atomic sensors are among the best devices for precision measurements of time, electric and magnetic fields, and inertial forces.
However, all atomic sensors that utilise uncorrelated particles are ultimately limited by quantum projection noise (QPN), as is already the case for state-of-the-art atomic clocks. This so-called standard quantum limit (SQL) can be overcome by employing entanglement, a prime example being the spin-squeezed states. Spin squeezing can be produced in a quantum non-demolition (QND) measurement of the collective spin, particularly with cavity quantum electrodynamical (QED) interactions.

In this thesis, I present the second-generation trapped-atom clock on a chip (TACC) experiment, where we combine a metrology-grade compact clock with a miniature cavity-QED platform to test quantum metrology protocols at a metrologically-relevant precision level. In a standard Ramsey spectroscopy, the stability of the apparatus is confirmed by a fractional frequency Allan deviation of 6E-13 at 1 s. We demonstrate spin squeezing by cavity QND measurement, reaching 8 (1) dB for 1.7E4 atoms, currently limited by decoherence due to technical noise. Applying these spin-squeezed states in the clock measurement is within reach.

Cold collisions between atoms play an important role at this level of precision, leading to rich spin dynamics. Here we find that the interplay between cavity measurements and collisional spin dynamics manifests itself in a quantum amplification effect of the cavity measurement. A simple model is proposed, and is confirmed by initial measurements. New experiments in this direction may shed light on the surprising many-body physics in this sytem of interacting cold atoms.

Quantum technologies are one of the major future challenges for research and science, but also a major opportunity for industry with respect to innovation and high technology. Indeed, quantum technologies and devices have already started to have an impact in industry, and several large companies are now developing new quantum devices or have started to integrate already existing devices into their products.

The exploitation of quantum effects in customised systems can lead to devices with superior performance and capabilities for sensing, measuring and imaging. The aim of this Special Issue on Quantum Metrology & Quantum Enhanced Measurement of the European Physical Journal Quantum Technology is to present cutting-edge research in the context of all these R&D quantum technology domains, as well as to highlight activities aiming to develop the necessary standardisation and metrological infrastructure for the characterisation and certification of the new quantum-based devices.

We invite you to submit articles for this special issue. Topics include, but are not limited to:

· Quantum Sensing with Colour Centres
· Quantum Imaging and Quantum Bio-Imaging
· Quantum-enhanced measurements in atomic systems
· Quantum-enhanced measurements in solid state systems
· Non-Classical light for quantum optical technologies and quantum enhanced measurement
· Entangled light sources and their characterisation and application
· Lattice and single trapped ion optical atomic clocks and optical combs
· Optical fibre link for Clock network Quantum Communication Testbed
· Technologies and Metrology for QKD
· Micro- and nanofabrication of quantum devices
· Josephson Junctions and Circuits
· Single-electron devices and fermionic quantum optics
· Quantum Hall effect and magneto-transport measurements
· Single photon sources and detectors technologies and metrology
· Entanglement-enhanced measurements and spectroscopy
· Quantum opto-mechanical resonators and quantum thermodynamics
· Quantum electrical transport and current sources
· Atomic-based sensors, e.g. quantum gravimeters, quantum gyroscopes, etc.
· Metrology of components for Quantum Computing

The special issue will be published as a Topical Collection in the framework of the Continuous Article Publication scheme allowing the usual EPJ Quantum Technology fast publication schedule whilst maintaining rigorous peer review; all articles must be submitted online, and peer review is managed fully electronically by the editors of the Special Issue.
Submissions are accepted from now until 30 June 2021.

=> Editorial information.

=> More information regarding the EPJ Quantum Technology (2018 impact factor: 2.84).

Dang Bao An TRAN will defend his thesis on 15th of July 2019 at 10:30 am on the subject “Widely tunable and SI-traceable frequency-comb-stabilised mid-infrared quantum cascade laser: application to high precision spectroscopic measurements of polyatomic molecules”, realized at LPL, under the direction of Anne Amy-Klein and Benoît Darquié.

The defense will take place in Copernic Amphitheatre – Institut Galilée, Université Paris 13 (access).

The defense will be in English.

=> Abstract and venue information.

Rémi GEIGER will defend his “habilitation à diriger des recherches” on 28th June 2019 at 2:00 pm on the subject “Atom interferometry: from fundamental physics to precision inertial measurements”.

The defense will take place at Observatoire de Paris (77 av. Denfert-Rochereau, Paris 14ème) in Salle Cassini, Bâtiment Perrault.

Abstract:

Interferometry with matter waves dates back to the first ages of quantum mechanics as the concept of matter waves played a key role in the development of the quantum theory. Performing interference experiments with various types of matter-waves has driven the efforts of several communities working with electrons, neutrons, atoms, molecules, or anti-matter. The field of atom interferometry has developed rapidly within the atomic physics community and even more since the advent of laser cooling techniques in the 1980s, which offers a high level of control. Cold-atom interferometers are nowadays studied by more than 40 research laboratories in the world and developed in several companies. They address a large panel of applications in tests of fundamental physics, metrology, geosciences, inertial navigation or gravitational wave astronomy. In this presentation, I will describe some of my research projects related to the measurements of gravitational and inertial effects with cold-atom interferometers within the atom interferometry and inertial sensor team of SYRTE at Paris Observatory.

C’est une une jolie moisson de données qui a demandé beaucoup de travail et qui vient récompenser les scientifiques après seulement un mois de campagne de détection d’ondes gravitationnelles par Virgo et LIGO. O3, comme est appelée cette troisième campagne d’observation, a commencé le 1^er avril et devrait durer douze mois. Les améliorations apportées à la sensibilité des trois détecteurs LIGO-Virgo et le fait qu’ils fonctionnent simultanément ouvrent des perspectives sans précédent. C’est aussi la première fois que LIGO et Virgo fournissent des alertes publiques aussitôt qu’est observé un candidat crédible de signal gravitationnel transitoire. Cette stratégie vise à faciliter les observations concomitantes par les télescopes et renforcer le potentiel extraordinaire des observations multi-messagers.

« Je n’aurais pas pu rêver de meilleur moment pour être de quart ! », raconte Olivier Minazzoli, chercheur au Centre Scientifique de Monaco, collaborant actuellement avec le laboratoire ARTEMIS à Nice, et en charge de la caractérisation de Virgo au cours de la semaine passée. « Je m’attendais à voir un candidat paire de trous noirs, au mieux, mais certainement pas deux couples d’étoiles à neutrons, et encore moins ce qui pourrait être une grande première : l’absorption d’une étoile à neutrons par un trou noir ! »

=> Lire la suite.

Le laboratoire Geoazur et le laboratoire Lagrange ont développé de nombreux projets autour des équipements du site instrumenté de l’Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur (Caussols), en particulier dans le domaine des liens optiques entre la terre et l’espace pour la métrologie de l’espace et du temps-fréquence, l’astronomie et les télécommunications optiques.

Les développements de ces projets ont conduit à créer l’entreprise de valorisation SigmaWorks en s’appuyant sur la loi sur l’innovation et la recherche.

SigmaWorks prospecte dans les domaines du temps fréquence avec de solides bases en chronométrie ultra stable, métrologie des distances, distribution de signaux et télécom optique en espace libre. L’entreprise s’appuie sur un savoir faire en conception et fabrication dans les domaines de l’électronique rapide, des réseaux logiques programmables, de l’optique, de la mécanique et de l’informatique. Elle est dimensionnée pour à la fois réaliser des études amonts spécifiques (étude et conception-fabrication de prototypes) et des réalisations en série.

SigmaWorks est basée dans le sud de la France et est notamment hébergée sur le site instrumenté de l’Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur.

=> Contact.

The ‘International Conference on Quantum Metrology and Sensing’ IQuMS 2019 will be held at Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France from the 09^th to the 13^th of December 2019. It will present an up to date perspective on this thriving field of quantum science and technology.

The conference will notably cover the topics of atomic clocks and inertial sensors; sensors based on artificial atoms in solids, such as color centers; quantum opto-mechanical and nanomechanical devices; electromagnetic sensing with quantum circuits; measurement standards based on quantum phenomena for the revised SI. The conference aims to showcase recent progress and to review emerging perspectives.

The scientific program will combine tutorials and invited talks by prominent specialists, contributed talks, poster presentations and a panel discussion. For more information about the conference, confirmed invited speakers and the provisional program visit the website: https://iqums.sciencesconf.org/

Deadline for abstract submission: 14th of July 2019.

Deadline for application: 15th of October 2019.

The CIPM (International Committee for Weights and Measures) appointed Noël Dimarcq as President of the Consultative Committee for Time and Frequency (CCTF) on its 108th meeting, in March 2019.

Noël Dimarcq is Deputy Director of the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur and was elected to the CIPM at the 26th meeting of the CGPM in November 2018. He has also been the director of the FIRST-TF network from its inception in 2010 to 2018.

=> More information.

The 2019 W. G. Cady Award goes to Dr. Serge Galliou, “for pioneering the development of extremely high-Q cryogenic Bulk Acoustic Resonators for sensing, oscillators, and fundamental applications”.

The W. G. Cady Award recognizes outstanding contributions related to the fields of crystal resonators, frequency control, frequency synthesis, noise measurement and sensor devices.

=> More information.