Long-Term Operation of a Micro Mercury Trapped Ion Clock Prototype

Integrated with novel micro-fabricated technologies, the micro mercury trapped ion clock (M2TIC) prototypes can reach the 10^?14-stability level in one day with size, weight, and power (SWaP) of 1.1 L, 1.2 kg, and under 6 W of power. The low-SWaP, high-performance combination makes M2TIC an attractive candidate for modern positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) applications. For operational clocks in real-world applications, reliable long-term operation is just as important. Here we demonstrate that an M2TIC prototype clock continuously operated for over 240 days. The clock package temperature was varied between 30oC to 53oC. These results demonstrate the robustness of the M2TIC technology and pave the way towards operational clock products.