New Aluminum Optical Clock breaks accuracy record

Alright, we seriously don’t know how to respond when something that’s already precise and unerring gets swelled by even more of accuracy. Well, let us cut the frills if you are somewhere unhinged. Some ingenious researchers from the National Institute for Standards and Technology have just devised an avant-garde aluminum optical clock that not only feels snooty for endowing a unique design, but also for setting a new benchmark in accuracy.

Aluminum Optical Clock

So what exactly makes it stand distinguished? If we go by what the developers have to affirm, the atomic clock renders the most accurate time in the world – in fact, twice as precise as any other optical clock has been unleashed. Based on a single aluminum ion, the clock could even sustain accuracy to within 1 second over 3.7 billion years.

In simpler terms, the newly invented optical clock is precise to one part in 10-17, so basically bringing in an error of plus/minus one second once a billion years. Pretty impressing, we must say. Nevertheless, the aluminum clock can also be employed for GPS satellites which will eventually enable for tracking capabilities with a precision of less than one meter.

However, we feel such an accurate time keeping device could have even more relevant significance in physical experiments. Claimed (although, somewhat proven) to be the most accurate optical clock, the new device further looks forward to ensure constant measurements on the fine-structure.

However, as of now researchers have been executing other experiments for the unprecedented soundness. The pricing and availability, having said that, very much remain under wraps for the time being. So let’s just wait and see if this breakthrough aluminum optical clock could be exploited for other applications as well in the near future.

Via: Softpedia