A Completely New Nuclear Clock Developed by Scientists
New nuclear clocks, which monitor the interaction of light with the atomic nucleus instead of electron movements, are poised to revolutionize time measurement.
A completely new type of nuclear clock has been developed that could replace atomic clocks used for over seventy years. This technology, which monitors the interaction of light with the atomic nucleus instead of the movements of electrons, aims to offer high precision in time measurement.
Transition from Atomic Clocks to Nuclear Clocks
Traditional atomic clocks used for decades measure time precisely by tracking transitions of electrons between different energy levels, forming the basis of technologies such as GPS.
Newly developed nuclear clocks offer a completely different mechanism by monitoring the interaction of light with the atomic nucleus instead of electron movements.
High Resistance to Environmental Effects
Because atomic nuclei are about 100,000 times smaller than the entire atom, they are much less affected by external environmental factors such as external electric fields.
This reduces the impact of certain external factors that limit the precision of atomic clocks, making nuclear clocks more reliable.
Tracking Dark Matter
The new technology is expected to be used not only for more precise time measurements, but also for investigating dark matter, one of the greatest mysteries of the universe.
Through nuclear clocks, it may be possible to detect potential effects of dark matter and investigate questions concerning the physical laws of the universe.
The Role of the Element Thorium-229
The foundations of the nuclear clock idea were laid in 2003, and scientists stated that the element thorium-229 stands out in this approach.
The fact that thorium-229 has a low-energy nuclear transition makes it advantageous for this transition to be tracked with lasers and used in clock technology.
Obstacles to Overcome and Results
Although developing the first working nuclear clocks is a significant step, the technology is not yet perfect, and current clocks are not as stable as the most advanced atomic clocks.
Scientists believe this issue can be overcome by using more powerful lasers, and the results of the research were published in the journal Nature.