Precise Time Synchronization and Clock Comparison Through a White Rabbit Network‐Based Optical Fiber Link

Abstract

Precise transfer of time and frequency signals over long distances as well as clock synchronization to an ultra‐stable reference are very crucial for many of the technological applications as well as for advanced scientific research. These reinforces a wide range of applications such as navigation, power grid management, mobile communication, and so on. In order to compare the performances of two highly stable and accurate atomic clocks, it is desirable that the link between the two clocks, that is, the transmission link has higher level of stability than those clocks. This article describes establishment of an ultra‐stable optical fiber link employing White Rabbit network for transfer of time and frequency signals and also for comparing performance of atomic clocks. Utilizing this link, time signals have been transferred within an uncertainty of ±130 ps at ambient temperature (30°C–40°C) and the instability of the link in terms of modified Allan‐deviation reaches to ∼10−16 within one day of integration time.

Phase Noise Analysis of Time Transfer over White Rabbit-Network Based Optical Fibre Links

“…More recently, White Rabbit precision time protocol (WRPTP)-based optical fibre links have emerged as a solution for transferring accurate time and frequency signals to remote locations and for comparing the performance of atomic clocks. However, the current stability performance is a few orders of magnitude worse than ultra-stable optical clocks [ 5 ]. In order to improve the accuracy and stability of WR-based optical fibre links and meet the requirements of metrological institutes for ultra-stable clock comparison, the phase noise of time transfer over WR-based optical fibre links must be studied.…”