171Yb+ single-ion optical frequency standard at 688 THz

Two <sup>171</sup>Yb<sup>+</sup> single-ion optical frequency standards operating at 688 THz (436 nm) are compared in order to investigate systematic frequency shifts in the sub-Hertz range. In the absence of externally applied perturbations, a mean relative frequency difference of 3.8middot10<sup>-16</sup> is observed. This agreement is comparable to that of the most accurate comparisons between cesium fountain clocks. Using a femtosecond frequency comb generator based on a Er<sup>3+</sup>-doped fiber laser, the frequency of the <sup>171</sup>Yb <sup>+</sup> standard is measured with a relative systematic uncertainty of 3.1times10<sup>-15</sup> and a statistical uncertainty of 0.6times10<sup>times15</sup>

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