Frequency and time

Part of our Metrology Research Centre, the frequency and time team is responsible for realizing the SI second and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the international reference time scale. The team provides calibration and dissemination services to clients from Canadian industry and other government departments in Canada and to international clients.

Our expertise

The frequency and time team develops primary and secondary frequency standards and realizes and disseminates UTC (NRC) through the:

Operation of an ensemble of atomic clocks, measurement systems and other equipment for continuous realization and dissemination of UTC (NRC)
Operation and development of primary frequency standard (caesium fountain), optical frequency standard (strontium ion) and frequency comb systems
Calibration of optical frequencies for the realization of the meter

Our latest research

Optical clocks have surpassed microwave (caesium) clocks by more than 2 orders of magnitude of precision, and the international community is preparing for the redefinition of the SI second with an optical reference in the next decade. The NRC is developing a portable optical clock (next-generation strontium ion standard) to prepare for the new optical second.