Articles tagged with Atomic Clocks
Researchers have measured the lifetime of an extremely stable energy level of magnesium atoms with great precision, achieving a record-breaking 2050 seconds. This is the longest lifetime ever measured in a laboratory and has significant implications for the development of ultra-precise atomic clocks.
Physicists at NIST generated microwave signals with improved purity and stability using a new optical frequency comb-based system. The apparatus has the potential to improve signal stability and resolution in radar, communications, and navigation systems, as well as certain types of atomic clocks.
Physicists at NIST have demonstrated a super-stable laser operating in a minivan, showing its potential for field use in geodesy, hydrology and space-based physics experiments. The laser was tested with the vehicle stationary and moving at speeds of less than 1 meter per second, remaining stable enough for some applications.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a tiny atomic clock that is 100 times smaller and uses 100 times less power than its predecessors. The portable Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) has various specialized applications, including timing operations for miners and divers in deep-sea explorations.
JILA scientists have eliminated collisions between atoms in an atomic clock by packing them closer together. This approach improves the performance of experimental atomic clocks made of thousands or tens of thousands of neutral atoms.
NIST's new aluminum-based quantum logic clock outperforms previous mercury atom clocks by more than twice its precision, achieving accuracy within 17 decimal places. The enhanced logic clock uses a different type of partner ion to improve efficiency and sets the stage for future time standards.
Researchers at PTB have demonstrated a more compact and portable optical atomic clock, which uses strontium-88 instead of strontium-87. The new design minimizes collisions between atoms, resulting in increased accuracy and stability. Potential applications include precise height determination and improved gravitation maps.
A new experimental atomic clock using ytterbium atoms has achieved accuracy comparable to the nation's civilian time standard, while ongoing comparisons with other clocks will help determine the most accurate option for future time and frequency standards. This development supports advancements in technologies such as high data rate te...
Researchers have made significant breakthroughs in creating ultra-precise atomic clocks using fermions at near absolute zero temperatures. The new method enables the control of fermion interactions and avoids the loss of precision, leading to a three-fold increase in clock accuracy. This advancement has great potential for applications...
Researchers at JILA have successfully controlled collisions between fermions, allowing for a significant boost in atomic clock accuracy. By understanding the dynamic effect of measurement processes, they reduced uncertainties in clock operation, making it 50% more accurate than previous results.
Researchers have proposed a novel optical clock concept that enables more stable clocks, sub-natural linewidth laser spectroscopy, and long coherence time lasers. The lasing behavior of the active optical clock is described by the modified Schawlow-Townes linewidth formula, which narrows the linewidth due to collective emission from ga...
A new method developed at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) improves the stability of caesium fountain clocks by reducing measurement times and increasing accuracy. This is achieved through the use of a microwave oscillator stabilized with lasers, allowing for more precise frequency measurements.
The NIST quantum logic clock uses an aluminum atom to apply computer logic to the quantum world, rivaling the mercury ion's accuracy and offering a new approach to measuring fundamental constants. The clocks were compared with record precision, allowing scientists to measure their relative frequencies to 17 digits.
Physicists at JILA demonstrate a next-generation atomic clock based on thousands of strontium atoms trapped in laser light grids, surpassing the current U.S. time standard by over 200 million years. The clock's precision enables synchronization of telecom networks and deep-space communications.
The Penn State researchers developed a new method to measure the phase shifts resulting from atomic collisions in ultracold cesium atoms. This technique allows for the detection of s-wave phase shifts independent of atom density, paving the way for breakthroughs in atomic physics and potential applications in Bose-Einstein condensates,...
Researchers at JILA propose using fibers to transfer ultra-stable time and frequency signals, offering improved accuracy over traditional GPS methods. This technology could enable synchronization of components in advanced X-ray sources and link geographically distributed radio telescopes to produce a giant telescope's power.
Scientists conducted precision comparisons among NIST's cesium fountain and mercury ion clocks, narrowing the range for a possible change in the fine-structure constant. These experiments aim to develop a more complete understanding of the history of the universe and test recent theories.
Scientists at JILA have developed an ultra-stable laser system to manipulate strontium atoms, producing the most precise 'ticks' ever recorded in an optical atomic clock. This achievement enables improved time-keeping, precision measurements of high frequencies, and quantum computing using neutral atoms.
Physicists at NIST have developed a portable atomic clock based on a single mercury ion, outperforming the national standard clock by at least five times. The improved version of the mercury clock maintains accuracy for over 400 million years, opening up new possibilities for ultra-precise timekeeping and frequency standards.
Scientists at NIST have developed an experimental atomic clock using ytterbium 'pancakes' that could be more stable and accurate than current time standards. The new design holds thousands of atoms in a lattice made of intersecting laser beams, which is also applicable to other atoms with even-numbered atomic masses.
The NIST-F1 clock has been improved to measure time and frequency with unprecedented accuracy, recording an uncertainty of 0.53 × 10-15 seconds per measurement. This achievement is attributed to advancements in laser technology, atomic vapor management, and magnetic field control.
Physicists at NIST have used the natural oscillations of two different types of charged atoms to produce the 'ticks' that may power a future atomic clock. By transferring information between two ions, they were able to determine the aluminum's resonant frequency extremely accurately.
The chip-scale atomic clock is the world's smallest, consuming less than 75 thousandths of a watt and stable to one part in 10 billion. It has potential uses in wireless communications, GPS receivers, and could replace quartz crystal oscillators in common products with improved time keeping.
Researchers at NIST and CU-Boulder observed strontium atoms forming a cubic structure, with atoms flying apart in formation due to a recoil effect. The phenomenon is caused by the atoms absorbing laser energy and rapidly cooling, resulting in the creation of a 'flying structure' visible through blue fluorescence signals.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has verified the accuracy of four world-class optical frequency rulers, a crucial step towards developing ultra-precise atomic clocks. These clocks are expected to be 100 times more accurate than current systems.
The Office of Naval Research has unveiled a new, ultra-accurate Rubidium atomic clock that is smaller than a matchbox and consumes less power. This tiny clock loses only about one second every 10,000 years, making it ideal for precise ship and aircraft navigation, ground to outer space communications, or missile guidance.
Researchers have developed a new all-optical-atomic clock that can keep time with greater precision than existing atomic clocks, by five orders of magnitude. The clock uses non-linear optical fibers to generate optical-frequency combs and determine frequencies by counting the number of teeth in the comb.