The world’s most accurate and precise atomic clock pushes new frontiers in physics

In mankind’s perpetual quest for perfection, scientists have developed an atomic clock that is more accurate and precise than any clock created before. The new watch 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 precise navigation in the vast expanse of space, as well as searches for new particles, this watch is the latest to transcend mere timekeeping. With their increased precision, these next-generation timers can uncover hidden underground deposits of minerals and test fundamental theories like general relativity with unprecedented rigor.

For the architects of the atomic clock, it’s not just about building a better clock; it’s about unlocking 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, international unit of time, based on these next-generation optical atomic clocks. Current-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 the second much more accurately.

Compared to current microwave clocks, optical clocks are expected to provide much higher precision for international timekeeping – potentially losing only one second every 30 billion years.

But before these atomic clocks can operate with such high precision, they must have very high precision; in other words, they must be able to measure extremely small fractions of a second. Achieving high accuracy and high precision can have huge implications.

Stuck in time

The new JILA clock uses a grid of light known as an “optical lattice” to capture and measure tens of thousands of individual atoms simultaneously. Having such a large ensemble provides a huge advantage in accuracy. The more atoms measured, the more data the clock has to give an accurate measurement of the second.

To achieve a new record performance, the JILA researchers used a shallower and softer “grid” of laser light to capture the atoms, compared to previous optical grid clocks. This significantly reduced the two main sources of error – effects from the laser light catching the atoms, and atoms bumping into each other when they are packed too tightly.

The researchers describe their progress in a paper that has been accepted for publication in Physical review papers. The job is currently available at arXiv preprint server.

Recording relativity on the smallest scales

“This clock is so precise that it can detect small effects predicted by theories such as general relativity, even at the microscopic scale,” said NIST and JILA physicist Jun Ye. “It’s pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with timing.”

General relativity is Einstein’s theory that describes how gravity is caused by the distortion of space and time. One of the key predictions of general relativity is that time itself is affected by gravity—the stronger the gravitational field, the slower time passes.

This new clock design could allow the detection of relativistic effects in time measurement on the submillimeter scale, about the thickness of a single human hair. Raising or lowering the clock by that small distance is enough for researchers to detect a small change in the flow of time caused by the effects of gravity.

This ability to observe the effects of general relativity on a microscopic scale could significantly bridge the gap between the microscopic quantum realm and the large-scale phenomena described by general relativity.

Space navigation and quantum breakthroughs

More accurate atomic clocks also enable more precise space navigation and exploration. As humans go further into the solar system, clocks will need to keep accurate time over great distances. Even small errors in timing can lead to navigational errors that grow exponentially the farther you travel.

“If we want to land a spacecraft on Mars with pinpoint accuracy, we’re going to need clocks that are orders of magnitude more accurate than what we have today in GPS,” Ye said. “This new watch is a big step towards making that happen.”

The same methods used to capture and control atoms can also produce advances in quantum computing. Quantum computers must be able to precisely manipulate the internal properties of individual atoms or molecules to perform calculations. Advances in the control and measurement of microscopic quantum systems have significantly advanced this effort.

By entering the microscopic realm where the theories of quantum mechanics and general relativity intersect, researchers are opening a door to new levels of understanding about the fundamental nature of reality itself. From the infinitesimal scales where the flow of time is distorted by gravity, to the vast cosmic boundaries where dark matter and dark energy exert influence, the exquisite precision of this clock promises to illuminate some of the universe’s deepest mysteries.

“We are exploring the frontiers of measurement science,” Ye said. “When you can measure things with this level of precision, you start to see phenomena that we’ve only been able to theorize about until now.”

This story is reprinted courtesy of NIST. Read the original story here.