Patent ID: 8058936

Claim:
An atomic clock comprising: (a) a first ion trap including a first number n of first electrodes or poles; (b) a second ion trap including a second number m of second electrodes or poles, where m>n, wherein the first ion trap stimulates fluorescence of one or more ions moved between the first ion trap and the second ion trap, the second ion trap interrogates a resonance of the ions, the first electrodes or poles confine the ions in the first ion trap when the first ion trap stimulates the fluorescence, and the second ion trap confines the ions in the second ion trap when the second ion trap interrogates the resonance; and (c) a control system coupled to one or more radio frequency lines, wherein the control system and the radio frequency lines apply: (i) a first radio frequency voltage to at least one of the first electrodes or poles, to confine the ions in the first ion trap, and (ii) a second radio frequency voltage to at least one of the second electrodes or poles, to confine the ions in the second ion trap, wherein the second radio frequency voltage has a different frequency or different phase as compared to a phase and a frequency of the first radio frequency voltage.