organisation

National Institute of Standards and Technology

US federal agency for standards and technology

Science · 18 Oct 2026Chip-based microcomb shows path to portable atomic clocks, GPS-free navigation

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI) have demonstrated a new chip-based frequency comb that generates precise optical measurements without requiring bulky laboratory equipment. The breakthrough could enable portable atomic clocks for ultraprecise mobile timekeeping, providing navigation signals for drones, cars, submarines and other vehicles when GPS is unavailable or has been jammed.