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| Title: |
NIST 'Quantum Logic Clock' Rivals Mercury Ion as World's Most Accurate |
| Description: |
The NIST quantum logic clock uses two different kinds of ions, aluminum and beryllium, confined closely together in an electromagnetic trap and slowed by lasers to nearly "absolute zero" temperatures. Aluminum is a stable source of clock ticks, but its properties cannot be detected easily with lasers. The aluminum and mercury clocks are both based on natural vibrations in ions (electrically charged atoms) and would neither gain nor lose one second in over 1 billion years, if they could run for such a long time, compared to about 80 million years for NIST-F1, the U.S. time standard based on neutral cesium atoms.
See a video animation with the press release (link below).
* quantum computing, Boulder, timekeeping, video
See also http://www.nist.gov/pml/div688/logic_clock.cfm.
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| Subjects (names): |
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| Topics/Categories: |
Time & Frequency--Atomic Clocks
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| Type: |
Video animation |
| Source: |
National Institute of Standards and Technology |
Credit Line as it should
appear in print: |
NIST |
| Date Created: |
March 6, 2008 |
| Date Entered: |
4/14/2008 |
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