Ultra-stable lasers that rely on crystalline mirrors could advance next-generation clocks and navigation

Phys.org

February 18, 2026

Lasers, devices that emit intense beams of coherent light in specific directions, are widely used in research settings and are central components of various technologies, including optical clocks (i.e., systems that can keep time relying on light waves as opposed to the vibrations of quartz crystals) and gravitational wave detections.