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In mankind’s relentless pursuit of perfection, scientists have developed an atomic clock that is more precise and accurate than any clock created before. The new watch was created by researchers at JILA, a joint institution of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado Boulder.

Allowing precise navigation in the vastness of space as well as searching for new particles, this watch is the latest to go beyond simple timekeeping. With their increased precision, these next-generation chronometers can 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 unlocking the secrets of the universe and paving the way for technologies that will shape our world for generations to come.

The world’s scientific community is considering redefining the second, international unit of time, based on these next-generation optical atomic clocks. Existing generation atomic clocks beam microwaves at atoms to measure the second. This new wave of clocks illuminates atoms with visible light waves that 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 accuracy for international timekeeping – potentially losing only one second every 30 billion years.

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

Trapped in time

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

To achieve the new record performance, the JILA researchers used a shallower, finer “net” of laser light to trap the atoms than previous optical grating clocks. This greatly reduced two major sources of error – the effects of laser light picking off atoms and atoms bumping into each other when packed too tightly.

The researchers describe their progress in a paper that has been accepted for publication in the Physical examination letters. The job is currently available at arXiv prepress server.

Hourly relativity on the smallest scales

“This clock is so precise that it can detect tiny effects predicted by theories like general relativity, even on a 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 on timekeeping on the submillimeter scale, around the thickness of a human hair. Raising or lowering the clock by this insignificant 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 Advances

More precise atomic clocks also allow for more accurate navigation and space exploration. As humans venture further into the solar system, clocks will need to keep accurate time over vast 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 extreme precision, we will 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 possible.”

The same methods used to trap and control atoms could also lead to breakthroughs 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 greatly advanced this endeavor.

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

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

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