For experiments that require ultra-precise measurements and control over atoms — think two-photon atomic clocks, cold-atom interferometer sensors and quantum gates — lasers are the technology of choice, the more spectrally pure (emitting a single color/frequency), the better. Conventional lab-scale laser technology currently achieves this ultra low-noise, stable light via bulky, costly tabletop systems designed to generate, harness and emit photons within a narrow spectral range.
