MINAC Miniature Atomic Clock

The precise measurement of time is fundamental to the effective functioning of the services we take for granted in modern society. This project will develop a pre-production prototype of a miniature atomic clock for precise timing in a variety of essential services such as reliable energy supply, safe transport links, mobile communications, data networks and electronic financial transactions. Today, these services rely on GPS for a timing signal which is easily disrupted either accidentally or maliciously. In prolonged GPS unavailability these services stop functioning. The reliance on GPS for precision timing and the consequent vulnerability of our essential services was made clear in a report from the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2011. That message is becoming more widely known and it is creating a demand for timing solutions that are not GPS dependent. The miniature atomic clock arising from this project fills this need and it will find widespread application in precision timing for mobile base stations, network servers for financial services, data centres, national power distribution networks and air traffic control systems. This project will address civil and military applications enabling a technical and economic success for the UK.