Cutting-Edge Technology: Optical Atomic Clock

An optical clock is an atomic clock that uses an atomic transition frequency in the optical region of atoms. The uncertainty of an optical clock is expected to go down to the 10 level. Since the 1940s, many researchers have contributed to the development of atomic clocks, and some of them have won the nobel prize for their research achievements. In this paper, the relation between the atomic clock and the achievements of novel prize winners is reviewed. An optical clock, an important application of the 2012 Nobel Prize winner’s work, is described on the basis of its principle and applications.