Unit of Length

The working group develops and characterizes laser wavelength standards for the realization and dissemination of the unit of length. To this end we develop laser systems of utmost frequency stability. We utilize ultra-cold atoms to conduct basic research projects with coherent matter waves for precision experiments.

We cooperate with the Leibniz University of Hannover in particular with the collaborative research center Designed Quantum States of Matter (DQ-mat), as well as the German Institute for Air and Space technology DLR and the European Space Agency ESA.

• Optical Frequency Synthesis: High-resolution Laser Spectroscopy
  
  
• Highly stable laser sources with sub-hertz linewidth
  
  • Development of highly stable, optical reference resonators insensitive to vibrations
  • Suppression of the frequency noise of laser diodes
    
    

• Bose-Einstein condensation of calcium
  
  • Investigation of new optical cooling methods for the generation of ultra-cold calcium atoms
  • Capture in optical dipole traps
  • Investigation of the atomic collisions

• Bose-Einstein Kondensation von Calcium   
• Untersuchung und Manipulation der Wechselwirkung ultrakalter Atome

[ more ]

• Ultra-stable Lasers for Length Measurements: Laser Wavelength Standards
  
  
• Calibration and Testing of Laser Wavelength Standards