Vexlum and Menlo Systems Partner on Optical Clock Technology
Insider Brief Vexlum and Menlo Systems are collaborating to develop a modular photonics source to simplify and scale optical atomic clock development. The partnership combines Vexlum’s semiconductor laser technology with Menlo Systems’ metrology tools to create a standardized, cost-effective light source for optical clocks. The project, part of the EU-funded VEQTOR initiative, aims to improve accessibility and support real-world applications such as navigation, synchronization, and sensing. PRESS RELEASE — Vexlum, a manufacturer of advanced semiconductor laser systems, and Menlo Systems, a leading provider of precision photonics technologies, today announced a collaboration to accelerate the development of ultra-precise optical atom clock timekeeping by providing an accessible, modular photonics source. Currently, the complexity and cost make it difficult to build and operate optical atomic clocks at scale. Vexlum and Menlo Systems are joining forces to change that by developing a system that makes building optical clocks more accessible, reliable, and cost-effective. The collaboration is part of the “VEQTOR” project, funded by EUROSTARS, a program supporting the advancement of quantum technology within Europe. The aim of the collaboration is to combine Vexlum’s advanced, high-power lasers with Menlo Systems’ precision metrology instrumentation, resulting in a standardized light source that fulfills the extreme requirements demanded by the most precise clocks to date, ultimately allowing research institutions and companies to easily build optical atomic clocks. Applications for optical atomic clocks include GPS-independent navigation, secure data synchronization on a continental scale, for example, for stock trading, and unlocking precise gravitational sensing for large-scale infrastructure monitoring and the test of fundamental physical theories. Optical atomic clocks are among the most precise instruments ever created, achieving accuracy levels that surp
