An international team has successfully operated the first nuclear clock, potentially surpassing atomic clocks and improving navigation, communication, and dark matter research.
The development involved experts from several institutions, including the Vienna University of Technology in Austria. Their findings were released as a preprint on arXiv on June 5.
The Pinnacle of Precision Timekeeping
Currently, atomic clocks are considered the most accurate timekeeping devices ever created, with an error of less than one second over roughly 100 million years. These clocks measure time by tracking the movements of electrons as they transition between different energy levels within an atom.
Nuclear clocks, however, operate differently. Instead of monitoring electrons, they measure changes within the atom’s nucleus through a process known as a nuclear transition, where energy shifts also occur.
Researchers believe this approach offers greater precision because the nucleus is far less affected by external influences such as electric and magnetic fields. As a result, nuclear clocks could provide significantly more stable and accurate time measurements than existing atomic clocks.
Thorium-229 and the Breakthrough in Nuclear Timekeeping
Scientists used the Thorium-229 nucleus, which can be excited by ultraviolet light, to achieve the breakthrough. One of the main obstacles was determining the exact light frequency needed to trigger changes within the nucleus. This challenge was overcome through the development of extremely precise ultraviolet lasers, which ultimately enabled the clock to function.
Thorsten Schumm, co-author and professor at Vienna University of Technology, said it is remarkable that the long-standing goal of controlling an atomic nucleus with a laser has become reality after over 15 years of research.
Looking ahead, nuclear clocks could significantly improve the accuracy of GPS, telecommunications, and internet technologies. Because they respond to three of the Universe’s four fundamental forces, these clocks could also help indirectly detect dark matter.
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