by DAN CALLOWAY
Published 6 February 2010 @ 16:42 UTC

WIRED SCIENCE – on February 6, 2010, Tia Ghose reported that scientists have built a quantum-logic clock that is 100,000 times more precise than the International Standard using traditional Cesium-beam Atomic Clocks.

A leading physicist, Chen-wen (James) Chou at the Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, CO has conducted research into the development of a new clock that is built upon the technology of detecting quantum energy state changes of a single aluminum ion, and is reported to be accurate to 1 second every 3.7 billion years. This new device could be used to vastly improve GPS navigation and to push the limits on further investigation into time dilation as predicted by Dr. Albert Einstein.

The current time standard is built around the Cesium-beam (Cesiium Fountain) clock and is accurate to 1 second every 100 million years.

At the heart of Chen-wen Chou’s quantum-logic clock is the electrically charged aluminum atom, which vibrates at the rate of 1.1 PHz or 1.1 quadrillion times per second.

Global positioning devices rely on extremely accurate time standards in order to pinpoint the position of objects or people on the globe. The more accurate the time standard, the better is the positioning capability of these devices. The use of the quantum-logic clock in the development of a new more accurate time standard would greatly enhance our capability to determine the precise location on the globe of ships, aircraft, and other modes of transportation that depend on them.

The quantum-logic clock also shows promise in determining just how much gravity warps time in space. Physical constants such as the speed of light and Planck’s constant are important values in quantum physics. The quantum-logic clock may assist in determining if these physical constants vary over time as a result of its extreme precision.

Citation:

C.-W. Chou, D.B. Hume, J.C.J. Koelemeij, D.J. Wineland, and T. Rosenband. C.-W. Chou, D.B. Hume, J.C.J. Koelemeij, D.J. Wineland, and T. Rosenband. 2010. Frequency Comparison of Two High-Accuracy Al+ Optical Clocks. Physical Review Letters.