Max Planck-RIKEN-PTB Center for

Research Topics

The broad research portfolio of the Max Planck-RIKEN-PTB Center for Time, Constants and Fundamental Symmetries encompasses crucial / timely / hot topics of current interests in metrology, specifically time, constants and fundamental symmetries. Particular areas of interest include new clock developments based on atoms, nuclei and highly charged ions, the improved determination of fundamental constants like the fine structure constant α, the Rydberg constant R_∞, the proton charge radius, and stringent tests of fundamental interactions and their symmetries using, e.g. protons and antiprotons.
To be more specific, the scientific work includes the investigation of topics including the following:

1. Sympathetic cooling of antiprotons by resonant coupling to laser-cooled beryllium ions
   Involved senior scientists and institutions:
   K. Blaum, H. Katori, C. Ospelkaus , P. Schmidt, T. Udem, S. Ulmer - MPIK, MPQ, PTB, RIKEN
   
   
2. Direct high-precision measurement of the magnetic moment of ³He to establish a new standard for ultra-sensitive absolute magnetometry
   Involved senior scientists and institutions:
   K. Blaum, A. Mooser , S. Ulmer - MPIK, RIKEN
   
   
3. Transportable Antiproton Containers
   Involved senior scientists and institutions:
   K. Blaum, C. Ospelkaus , C. Smorra , S. Ulmer - MPIK, PTB, RIKEN
   
   
4. Advanced ion traps and ion manipulation techniques
   Involved senior scientists and institutions:
   K. Blaum, J. R. Crespo , T. Mehlstäubler, A. Mooser , C. Ospelkaus , T. Pfeifer, P. Schmidt, C. Smorra , S. Sturm , T. Udem, S. Ulmer - MPIK, MPQ, PTB, RIKEN
   
   
5. High-resolution spectroscopy of hydrogen
   Involved senior scientists and institutions:
   T. Hänsch, E. Peik, T. Udem - MPQ, PTB
   
   
6. Hydrogen lattice clock
   Involved senior scientists and institutions:
   T. Hänsch, H. Katori, C. Lisdat , E. Peik, T. Udem, S. Ulmer - MPQ, PTB, RIKEN
   
   
7. Th-229 nuclear clock
   Involved senior scientists and institutions:
   J. R. Crespo , H. Katori, E. Peik, T. Pfeifer, T. Udem - MPIK, MPQ, PTB, RIKEN
   
   
8. Optical and XUV clocks based on highly charged ions
   Involved senior scientists and institutions:
   K. Blaum, J. R. Crespo , H. Katori, T. Mehlstäubler, T. Pfeifer, P. Schmidt, T. Udem, S. Ulmer - MPIK, MPQ, PTB, RIKEN
   
   
9. Transportable optical clocks
   Involved senior scientists and institutions:
   G. Grosche , H. Katori, C. Lisdat , T. Mehlstäubler, E. Peik, P. Schmidt, H. Schnatz , U. Sterr , T. Udem - MPQ, PTB, RIKEN