After successful completion of the course, students are able to orient themselves in the growing field of precise measurements of lengths, time and frrequency, optical clocks and calipers, frequency standards, time and frequency transfer. They will understand the future prospects and principal limitations of the optical measurement technologies, and have an overview of their current and evolving applications.

The future electrical engineers, will likely be confronted with the use of precision instrumentation in the manufacturing. They should be able to critically evaluate the project and suggest a correct measurement procedure and suppllier, analyse the offers and control the ordering procedure, present and professionally discuss the chosen solutions with colleagues and customers.  

Methods and types of precision optical measurements: frequency, time, wavelength, position, displacement. Optical frequency standards, their physical background and practical realization. Conversion and comparison between optical frequency standards and electronic (RF und microwave) standards. Ultimate limitations on precision, probing of the long-term stability of physical constants. Modelocked lasers as optical clockworks and transfer devices. Novel measurement schemes based on frequency comb techniques.

The main part of the course is the block lecture. The lecture notes and the corresponding book chapters will be made available. Three to four home assignments have the purpose to teach the main principles and methods.

The course includes a tour to the Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying. 

Lecture notes and necessary literature will be made available to all registered participants.

The lecture is given as block, i.e. we make a compact series of 2-hour lectures. Normally, we are done within 2-2.5 months, counting the Easter holidays, etc.
We plan two lectures per week - The exact schedule will be elaborated at the first meeting ("Vorbesprechung") !!!

The final result will include home assignments and the Examination note. The oral examination (use of the lecture notes, books, and Internet is allowed and even desirable!) has a form a Colloquium where a student shoud suggest a frequency standard for a certain purpose, analyse it, and defend the choice in front of the colleagues.

Lecture notes for this course are available.

Students in Electrical Engineering are expected to have done the "Photonik 1" course. Physics and exchange (e.g. Erasmus) students should possess basic knowledge about lasers.