Quantum-amplified global-phase spectroscopy on an optical clock transition

ORAL

Abstract

Optical lattice clocks (OLCs) are at the forefront of precision metrology, operating near a standard quantum limit (SQL) set by quantum noise. Harnessing quantum entanglement offers a promising route to surpass this limit, yet there remain practical roadblocks concerning scalability and measurement resolution requirements. Here, we adapt the holonomic quantum-gate concept to develop a novel Rabi-type "global-phase spectroscopy" (GPS) that utilizes the detuning-sensitive global Aharanov-Anandan phase. With this approach, we are able to demonstrate quantum-amplified time-reversal spectroscopy in an OLC that achieves 2.4(7) dB metrological gain without subtracting the laser noise, and 4.0(8) dB improvement in laser noise sensitivity beyond the SQL. We further introduce rotary echo to protect the dynamics from inhomogeneities in light-atom coupling and implement a laser-noise-canceling differential measurement through symmetric phase encoding in two nuclear spin states. Our technique is not limited by measurement resolution, scales easily owing to the global nature of entangling interaction, and exhibits high resilience to typical experimental imperfections. We expect it to be broadly applicable to next-generation atomic clocks and other quantum sensors approaching the fundamental quantum precision limits.

*Funded by ONR, the Center for Ultracold Atoms, an NSF funded Frontier Center, the NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute Award OMA, and DARPA. Support is also acknowledged from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, National Quantum Information Science Research Centers, Quantum Systems Accelerator.

Publication: Zaporski, L., Liu, Q., Velez, G. et al. Quantum-amplified global-phase spectroscopy on an optical clock transition. Nature 646, 309–314 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09578-8

Presenters

  • Matthew Radzihovsky

    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Authors

  • Matthew Radzihovsky

    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Qi Liu

    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Vladan Vuletic

    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Gustavo Velez

    • MIT
  • Leon Zaporski

    • MIT
  • Simone Colombo

    • University of Connecticut
  • Zeyang Li

    • Stanford University
  • Edwin Pedrozo Penafiel

    • University of Florida