Enrico Rubiola (FEMTO-ST Institute) has received the 2018 W.G. Cady Award “for ground-breaking contributions to noise analysis and signal-source theory, and experimental achievements in the electronic and photonic domains.”

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.

=> Announcement.

Namneet Kaur will defend her thesis on 20th of April 2018 at 2:00 pm on the subject “Long range time transfer using optical fiber links and cross comparison with satellite based methods”, realized in SYRTE under the direction of Philip Tuckey and the supervision of Paul-Eric Pottie.

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

=> Abstract.

François Tricot will defend his thesis on 27th of March 2018 at 1:30 pm on the subject “Analysis and reduction of the frequency instability noise sources in a compact CPT clock”, realized in SYRTE under the direction of Stéphane Guérandel.

The defense will take place in the amphitheater of the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris (IAP), in front of the jury: Agnès Maître, Frédéric Du Burck, Vincent Giordano, Virgile Hermann and Jean-Marc Lesage.

Abstract: This thesis work has been granted by a CIFRE-Défense contract to study the frequency stabilities of an atomic clock based on coherent population trapping. The objective is to demonstrate a frequency stability in the range of 10^-13τ^-1/2 up to 10 000 s. A caesium vapour cell is used with a high-contrast excitation scheme using cross linear polarisations and a Ramsey interrogation. The short-term frequency stability is presented with the reduction of the phase and the laser power noise, both limiting clock performance at 1 s integration time. The optimisation of the microwave chain with a new local oscillator, and the implementation of a very low noise power lock loop have improved the frequency stability down to 2,3×10^-13 at 1 s integration time. The fluctuations analysis of the operating parameters (laser intensity, magnetic field, temperature, etc.) and the measurement of the clock frequency show that the medium-term frequency instability is mostly limited by laser power and magnetic field fluctuations at the level of 2×10^-14 at 2 000 s integration time. These analyses also show that laser power fluctuations, despite servo loop control, are related to polarisation fluctuations through temperature fluctuations inside the experiment isolation box. Finally, the studies of a dual-frequency and dual-polarisation laser for a compact CPT clock are presented, paving the way to industrialisation by reducing the optical bench.

Key words: atomic clock, vapour cell, coherent population trapping, Ramsey fringes, Dick effect, intensity noise, frequency stability.

Two laboratories are searching candidates for a Ph-D theses cofunded by CNES:

•  SYRTE (Franck Pereira) on the subject: New atom interferometry techniques for space gravimetry ⇒ More information: https://cnes.fr/fr/les-ressources-humaines-du-cnes/nouvelles-techniques-dinterferometrie-atomique-pour-la-gravimetrie
• LAAS (Olivier Llopis) on the subject: Application of miniaturized optical frequency combs to the generation of high spectral purity microwave signals ⇒ More information: https://cnes.fr/fr/les-ressources-humaines-du-cnes/application-des-peignes-de-frequence-optiques-miniatures-la

The EFTS is intended to provide education and training, including laboratory practice in a full-week seminar, and targets the broadest audience: Engineers, Ph.D. students, post-docs, 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
• Laboratory sessions (not only demos, the attendees are expected to practice on a wide range of instruments made available)

⇒ Information and Registration

JST and the French National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche; “ANR”) concluded a Framework Agreement in December 2017.

The purpose of this Agreement is to foster Japanese-French collaboration in scientific research and to fund joint research projects conducted by Japanese and French partners eligible for funding from each agenc on:
Quantum technology: Creation of an innovative quantum technology platform based on the advanced control of quantum states

The full description of the two areas is appended to the document on the national regulations for French applicants.

The proposals should be led by a Japanese PI and a French PI and will be evaluated via a peer-review procedure by JST and ANR. The call is open to public and private partners.

The average ANR funding will be around 500 k€ per project depending on the number of partners and the ambition of the project, for a 5-year duration.

The JST-CREST call will be launched at a later date for non-joint proposals but the Japanese-French consortia must have submitted their proposals to ANR website before April 16th, 10AM CET.

⇒ More information: http://anr.fr/CREST-2018

Mehdi Langlois will defend his thesis on 21st of December at 15:00 on the subject “Design and realisation of a cold atom gravity gradiometer”, realized in SYRTE under the direction of Franck Pereira dos Santos and the supervision of Sébastien Merlet.

The defense will take place in the amphitheater of the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris (IAP), in front of a jury composed of Christophe Daussy, Laurence Pruvost, Saïda Guellati-Khélifa, Philippe Bouyer and Bruno Desruelle. The entrance will be at 77 avenue Denfer-Rochereau, 75014 Paris.

⇒ More information

April 9th to 12th, 2018 at conference centre of the Museo dell’Automobile in Torino (Italy).

The European Frequency and Time Forum (EFTF) is an international conference and exhibition, providing information on recent advances and trends of scientific research and industrial development in the fields of Frequency and Time.

Authors are invited to submit abstracts of recent and original work of interest to the frequency control communities in the following topics:

• Group 1: Materials, Resonators & Resonator Circuits
• Group 2: Oscillators, Synthesizers, Noise, & Circuit Techniques
• Group 3: Microwave Frequency Standards & Applications
• Group 4: Sensors & Transducers
• Group 5: Timekeeping, Time and Frequency Transfer, GNSS Applications
• Group 6:  Optical Frequency Standards and Applications

Abstracts will be collected through a web-based submission tool.

Abstract Submission deadline: December 22nd, 2017

=> Details on abstract submission and conference information.

Meropi Morfoulie will defend her thesis on 12th December 2017 at 2:30 pm on the subject “From precision in time measurement to the theory of universal gravity (1630-1740)”, realized at SYRTE laboratory under the direction of Christian Bracco and Efthymios Nicolaidis.

The defence will take place in Lecturing hall L 361, ENS, 24 rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris.