Direct comparison of optical lattice clocks with an intercontinental baseline of 9 000 km

We have demonstrated a direct frequency comparison between two $^{87}{rm Sr}$ lattice clocks operated in intercontinentally separated laboratories in real time. Two-way satellite time and frequency transfer technique based on the carrier phase was employed for a direct comparison with a baseline of 9 000 km between Japan and Germany. A clock comparison was achieved for 83 640 s resulting in a fractional difference of $(1.1pm1.6) times 10^{-15}$, where the statistical part is the biggest contribution to the uncertainty. This measurement directly confirms the agreement of the two optical clocks on an intercontinental scale.

Stability Transfer between Two Clock Lasers Operating at Different Wavelengths for Absolute Frequency Measurement of Clock Transition in 87Sr

We demonstrated transferring the stability of one highly stable clock laser operating at 729 nm to another less stable laser operating at 698 nm. The two different wavelengths were bridged using an optical frequency comb. The improved stability of the clock laser at 698 nm enabled us to evaluate the systematic frequency shifts of the Sr optical lattice clock with shorter averaging time. We determined the absolute frequency of the clock transition 1S0 - 3P0 in 87Sr to be 429 228 004 229 873.9 (1.4) Hz referenced to the SI second on the geoid via International Atomic Time (TAI).