Pair of Atomic Clocks Set New Record for Stability

A pair of atomic clocks based on ytterbium atoms has set a new record for stability. The clocks are like 21^st-century pendulums that could swing back and forth with perfect timing for a period comparable to the age of the universe.

The new clocks are created with ytterbium atoms that are generated in an oven and then sent to a vacuum chamber. There, they are manipulated and probed by lasers. This laser light is then transported to the clock by five fibers. This, in turn, helps create the stable clock.

In fact, the ytterbium clocks' tick is more stable than any other atomic clock's. They're stable to within less than two parts in one quintillion (one followed by 18 zeros). That's roughly 10 times better than the previous best published results for other atomic clocks.

So what's the big deal? This breakthrough has the potential for significant impacts not only on timekeeping, but also on a broad range of sensors measuring quantities that have tiny effects on the ticking rate of atomic clocks. It's also a major step toward the evolution of next-generation atomic clocks.

"The stability of the ytterbium lattice clocks opens the door to a number of exciting practical applications of high-performance timekeeping," said Andrew Ludlow, co-author of the new study, in a news release.

One of the key features of these new clocks is that precise results can be achieved very quickly. In fact, they can make measurements in real time in many cases. This could be important in rapidly changing application settings, such as the factory floor and the natural environment.

The researchers plan to measure the accuracy of the ytterbium clocks in the near future, and the accuracy of other high performance optical atomic clocks. The findings could allow researchers to make more precise measurements than ever before, which could aid in the future development of other clocks.

The findings are published in the journal Science.