Scientists build crystal for nuclear clock that will be up to 10 times more precise

[Marlin]

Scientists build crystal for nuclear clock that will be up to 10 times more precise

https://interestingengineering.com/science/crystal-nuclear-clock-10-times-more-precise

[Core Content]

Perfect crystal site brings ultra-precise nuclear clock closer to reality

Researchers at the Vienna Institute of Technology have identified a specific lattice site within calcium fluoride crystals to host thorium-229 atoms for nuclear clock development. This configuration utilizes the nucleus to track time, offering natural shielding from electromagnetic interference. The team aims to miniaturize these devices for practical use, potentially replacing large vacuum-based atomic clocks with chip-scale technology.

Scientists have succeeded in finding the perfect site inside a crystal to dope thorium 229 to make a nuclear clock which is 10 times more precise.

Scientists at the Vienna Institute of Technology have found the perfect site inside a crystal where a thorium-229 atom can sit and help build a nuclear clock that it up to 10 times more precise than existing clocks, making it the most accurate nuclear clock ever. This might sound like an accidental find, but the researchers spent for 15 years just building the crystal alone. Atomic clocks that track time by measuring the way electrons jump between energy states when exposed to a laser light are...

Read the full article at Interesting Engineering:
https://interestingengineering.com/science/crystal-nuclear-clock-10-times-more-precise