Research in Atomic Optical Clocks
A special issue of Atoms (ISSN 2218-2004). This special issue belongs to the section "Atom Based Quantum Technology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 13
Special Issue Editor
Interests: ion optical clocks; ion trapping and cooling; highly charged ions and related physics; precision spectroscopic measurements of few-electron systems
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent years, atomic optical clocks have undergone remarkable advances in both precision and integration. Owing to their unprecedented measurement accuracy, optical clocks have become powerful tools in fundamental physics, enabling stringent tests of fundamental physical laws and constants, as well as sensitive searches for new physics beyond the Standard Model. These developments have led to breakthroughs that were previously unattainable with conventional frequency standards.
From an application-oriented perspective, the development of optical clocks has become increasingly diverse. Atomic clocks based on different physical systems, operating principles, and target accuracies are being actively pursued to meet the requirements of a wide range of applications. Alongside traditional passive optical clocks based on neutral atoms or singly charged ions and electronic transitions, alternative concepts—such as highly charged ion optical clocks, nuclear clocks, and active optical clocks—have emerged as important and rapidly developing research directions. In parallel, a broad spectrum of novel techniques, methodologies, and physical effects relevant to optical clock research continues to be explored, further extending our capability to understand, control, and exploit atomic systems with extraordinary precision.
This Special Issue aims to provide an in-depth overview of recent progress in atomic optical clocks, with a particular focus on emerging techniques, innovative methodologies, and new optical clock candidates. We welcome contributions covering advances in optical clock development and future directions, precision spectroscopy, as well as theoretical and experimental approaches that enable further improvements in clock performance and accuracy.
Dr. Shaolong Chen
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- optical atomic clocks
- precision spectroscopy
- quantum control and manipulation
- highly charged ion clocks
- nuclear clocks
- active optical clocks
- fundamental physics tests
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