Scientists have developed the first working nuclear clocks, which rely on the interaction of light with atomic nuclei rather than electron movements to measure time. The study, announced in two separate articles published in the journal Nature, marks a new technological threshold in timekeeping following atomic clocks.
Atomic clocks have been among the most precise tools for modern timekeeping for over 70 years. These systems calculate time by monitoring transitions between the energy levels of electrons in atoms. GPS systems, advanced communication infrastructures, and fundamental physics experiments all rely on these high-precision measurements.
In the newly developed nuclear clocks, the focus is not on electrons, but on the atomic nucleus. Researchers have established a system that measures time by tracking interactions between light and the nucleus. It is estimated that this approach could become a method that exceeds the precision reached by atomic clocks in the coming years.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE FROM ATOMIC CLOCKS?
The prominent aspect of nuclear clocks is that the atomic nucleus is much smaller than the atom as a whole and is more shielded from external influences. The fact that nuclei are about 100,000 times smaller than atoms means they are less affected by environmental factors such as external electric fields. This could allow for the reduction of certain factors that can limit stability in timekeeping.
The scientific foundations of the nuclear clock idea date back to 2003. At that time, researchers suggested that atomic nuclei could be used for extremely precise clocks. The element thorium-229 is particularly notable in this field. The fact that thorium-229 has a low-energy nuclear transition is seen as a significant advantage for monitoring this transition with lasers.
According to scientists, nuclear clocks could be used not only for more precise timekeeping but also in research aimed at understanding the fundamental structure of the universe. In particular, detecting the possible effects of dark matter and testing fundamental physical constants more precisely are cited as the main research areas that this technology could open up.
However, the technology is still in the development stage. Although the demonstration of the first working prototypes is an important step, current nuclear clocks are not as stable as the most advanced atomic clocks. Researchers state that this gap could close over time with the use of more powerful lasers and advanced experimental setups.
News Source: 12punto
