May was the month of conferences, and after a successful CLEO, our team had the pleasure of attending the joint conference of the IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium and the European Frequency and Timing Forum . The event was hosted in Querétaro, Mexico, and served as a meeting point for research and industry experts to share their research and contributions to the field of timing technologies.
Conference Highlights:
Key Live Demonstrations
Synchronization of remote Time Taggers leveraging the newest software update. While our roots come from single-photon counting experiments, we’re eager to contribute more and more to the timing and frequency community. At IFCS-EFTF, we showcased new capabilities enabled by our latest software update (v. 2.18) and the synchronization of multiple remote Time Taggers using the White Rabbit protocol. This demo highlighted real-time correlation and merging of data streams from distributed servers, opening up new possibilities for precise time-aligned measurements in metrology, navigation, telecommunications, and quantum technologies.
Multiple oscillator characterization relative to an external reference. What truly sparked interest among attendees was the potential of our Time Taggers for advanced oscillator characterization. Many conversations centered around multi-channel stability analysis, low-noise phase measurements, and applications ranging from 10 MHz quartz oscillators to optical and atomic clocks. At IFCS-EFTF, we showcased the capabilities of our instrumentation for advanced clock characterization through simultaneous FrequencyStability, FrequencyCounter, and PhaseNoise measurements. This multi-mode acquisition enables the parallel evaluation of ADEV, MDEV, TDEV, HDEV stability measurements, as well as frequency and phase traces and phase noise power spectral density (PSD), across up to 19 input channels.
Engaging conversations, including a poster presentation!
Poster. Our Application Scientist, Dr. Edoardo Mornacchi, presented a poster on this topic, titled Time and Frequency Measurements with Picosecond Precision Across Remote Locations. This poster details the remote sync experimental setup, and investigates the accuracy of oscillator characterization and synchronization monitoring.
Frequency stability analysis.Overall, we had several interesting in-depth discussions about oscillator and clock characterization at the conference. Attendees expressed interest in frequency stability analysis across a wide range, from high-frequency sources to 10 MHz quartz oscillators, highlighting limitations of traditional frequency counters. Multi-channel capabilities were also heavily emphasized, especially for atomic and optical clocks applications. Some researchers were exploring the generation of UTC using newer clocks, while still needing to assess legacy systems via older NMS tools. We also discussed 1 PPS monitoring, ultra-low phase noise measurements, and clock evaluation for space applications.
Finally, we got to enjoy the beautiful city of Querétaro! We were thrilled to explore Querétaro’s rich history and intricate architecture. IEEE IFCS-EFTF gave us the opportunity to learn more about the advancements in timing and frequency, and we were grateful for the opportunity to connect with researchers and industry leaders as we continue to break into this field. See you in Noordwijk in 2026!
Relevant topics
Photon Number Resolution (PNR)
Photon number resolution (PNR) is an enabling technique used to assign the number of photons involved in a detection event precisely. This technique leverages photon-number-resolving single-photon detectors as well as sophisticated signal analysis, and it is necessary for quantum cryptographyand quantum communication.
The First Photonic Quantum Computer in Germany - Swabian Instruments' Role in this Breakthrough
The first photonic quantum computer built in Paderborn, Germany! At Swabian Instruments, we’re proud to have enabled this breakthrough with our software-based Photon Number Resolution (PNR) on single SNSPDs!
