Rabat:Chinese scientists have developed a nuclear optical clock that measures time through energy changes inside atomic nuclei, marking a significant advancement in precise timekeeping. This innovation has the potential to enhance navigation, deep-space exploration, and fundamental physics research with more accurate and portable timekeeping.
According to Emirates News Agency, researchers from Tsinghua University, along with other Chinese institutions, spent nearly five years perfecting this clock. Their research findings were published in the journal Nature on Wednesday.
The team created a continuous-wave vacuum-ultraviolet laser operating at 148.4 nanometres, which they used to induce a transition within thorium-229's nuclei, a radioactive isotope. By synchronizing the laser's frequency with this nuclear transition, they developed the nuclear clock.
Nuclear optical clocks, which rely on transitions within atomic nuclei, are considered a potential successor to atomic microwave clocks and optical atomic clocks. Unlike traditional pendulum clocks that swing once per second, the nuclear optical clock uses the rhythm of an atomic nucleus, which cycles at about 2 quadrillion times per second. This allows for extremely precise time measurement.
Current optical atomic clocks depend on electron transitions, which require stringent controls due to their sensitivity to external factors. The nuclear optical clock, with its stable rhythm, could surpass these in precision. Additionally, miniaturization of such clocks could lead to practical applications beyond laboratory settings.
The technology holds promise for improving satellite positioning and spacecraft distance measurements, essential for navigation and deep-space exploration.