An extremely cold gas of strontium atoms is trapped in a web of light known as an optical lattice. The atoms are held in an ultrahigh-vacuum environment, which means there is almost no air or other gases present. This vacuum helps preserve the atoms' delicate quantum states, which are fragile. The red dot you see in the image is a reflection of the laser light used to create the atom trap.
Credit: K. Palubicki/NIST
In humankind’s ever-ticking pursuit of perfection, scientists have developed an atomic clock that is more precise and accurate than any clock previously created. The new clock was built by researchers at JILA, a joint institution of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado Boulder.
Enabling pinpoint navigation in the vast expanse of space as well as searches for new particles, this clock is the latest to transcend mere timekeeping. With their increased precision, these next-generation timekeepers could reveal hidden underground mineral deposits and test fundamental theories such as general relativity with unprecedented rigor. For atomic-clock architects, it’s not just about building a better clock; it’s about unraveling the secrets of the universe and paving the way for technologies that will shape our world for generations to come.
The worldwide scientific community is considering redefining the second, the international unit of time, based on these next-generation optical atomic clocks. Existing-generation atomic clocks shine microwaves on atoms to measure the second. This new wave of clocks illuminates atoms with visible light waves, which have a much higher frequency, to count out the second much mor ..
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