The chief scientist of the Ministry of Economy has approved a large-scale program in which BGU's Atom Chip Group will be in charge of the next generation of atomic clocks for the State of Israel.
The team, which includes Dr. David Groswasser, Mr. Menachem Givon, Dr. Yonathan Japha and Prof. Ron Folman, will design, develop and manufacture the first prototype which will be based on ultra-cold atoms. The project will take place in collaboration with Accubeat, a manufacturer of atomic clocks.
Atomic clocks are an integral part of everyday life. From the GPS system which relies on them for accuracy to fast communications in which they are used for synchronization. Even organizations such as power plants and electric companies are now more and more dependent on such clocks. Atomic clocks are based on the absolute accuracy of constants of nature, and, in this case, on the transition frequencies between atomic levels in which an electron is moved from one state to another.
