Photonic Integration for Miniaturization of a 2-photon Rb Optical Atomic Clock
ABSTRACT
Infleqtion has successfully productized Tiqker, a two-photon rubidium (Rb) optical atomic clock, now available in a compact, rack-mountable 3U form factor. This program targets critical challenges of miniaturization, cost reduction, and scalable volume manufacturing - key enablers for expanding market reach, and for integrating Tiqker within more complex quantum and classical systems.
Technologies addressed so far in the program include the development of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for delivering optical beams into ultra-high vacuum (UHV) cells and vapor cells, scalable manufacturing techniques for vapor cells, a PIC-based 778 nm clock laser, high-efficiency PIC modulators, and research into integrated optical isolators. Future technologies include PIC-based components to miniaturize the optical frequency comb, a critical element of an optical atomic clock.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Morton is CTO Photonics, Infleqtion, where he coordinates photonics technologies across the company, and is building an integrated photonics team to develop the PIC technologies and devices that are crucial for all future Infleqtion quantum systems.
He was a founder, CEO, and CTO of Morton Photonics Inc., a successful developer of photonic components and subsystems, which was acquired by Infleqtion in January 2024. Earlier in his career, he conducted pioneering research at AT&T Bell Laboratories, contributing to the advancement of high-speed laser diodes, mode-locked optical pulse sources, and photonic integration. At CIENA Corporation, he served as Director of Active Photonics, playing a key technical leadership role in the development of commercial high-capacity DWDM transmission systems.
In 2002, Dr. Morton co-founded Morton Photonics, focusing on the research and development of advanced photonic technologies. This work spanned the design and commercialization of photonic components, PICs, and subsystems, including ultra-low-noise semiconductor lasers. These technologies were applied to high-performance analog RF photonic links, sensing, photonic processing for phased array systems, and have been successfully transitioned into both commercial and DoD systems. Dr. Morton holds BSc, MEng, and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Bath in England. He is a Fellow of both the IEEE and Optica.