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Source: The post on Portable optical atomic clock is based on the article “New portable atomic clock offers very accurate timekeeping at sea” published in The Hindu on 11 June 2024.
Why in News?
A new portable optical atomic clock has been developed for accurate timekeeping at sea.
About recent research
Researchers have built a portable optical atomic clock that can be used onboard ships. It is more accurate than other vessel-borne timekeeping options. The researchers claim it is the most performant optical clock at sea.
About portable clock and its working
i) An atomic clock is a timekeeping device that uses the vibrations of atoms to measure time with extreme precision.
ii) Some atomic clocks use the isotope caesium-133 (Cs-133) to keep time. These clocks measure the microwave radiation emitted when Cs-133 atoms transition between two energy levels.
ii) The duration of one second is defined by the exact frequency of this energy transition, specifically 9,192,631,770 Hz. Caesium atomic clocks are highly accurate, losing only one second every 1.4 million years.
How Optical Atomic Clocks is different?
1. Optical atomic clocks represent a significant advancement in accuracy over traditional atomic clocks. These clocks use lasers to induce atomic transitions instead of microwaves.
2. Strontium or ytterbium atoms are typically used in optical atomic clocks.
3. Optical transitions occur more frequently, allowing these clocks to count more cycles per second. The higher operating frequency and narrower linewidths of optical atomic clocks enable more precise time measurements.
4. As a result, optical atomic clocks can measure time more accurately than traditional atomic clocks.
Accuracy and Applications
i) It is suitable for navigation, maritime communication, and scientific research.
ii) It can monitor underwater seismic and volcanic activity with precision.
iii) It has potential applications in space for testing relativity theories and improving satellite navigation.
