Nanometer precision ranging demonstrated across 113 kilometers sets new benchmark for space measurement

Nanometer precision ranging demonstrated across 113 kilometers sets new benchmark for space measurement

Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, led by professors Jian-Wei Pan, Hai-Feng Jiang, and Qiang Zhang, have achieved nanometer-level absolute distance measurement over a 113-kilometer path using a bistatic dual-comb ranging (BDCR) approach. This technique attained a precision of 82 nanometers within 21 seconds, establishing a new standard for high-precision long-distance measurement.

Dual-comb ranging technology combines time-of-flight measurement with phase interferometry, supporting both high precision and an extended ambiguity range. Previous open-path high-precision ranging methods were limited to less than 10 kilometers due to transmission losses and