Singapore University Develops World's Most Accurate Clock
Researchers at Singapore National University's Quantum Technology Centre have developed a lutetium-based atomic clock achieving an unprecedented uncertainty of 1 x 10⁻¹⁹. This new clock is the most accurate optical atomic clock reported to date.
Researchers at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT) have developed a lutetium-based atomic clock that achieves an unprecedented uncertainty of 1 x 10⁻¹⁹.
This new clock sets a new benchmark for timekeeping precision and holds promise for use as a next-generation time standard and for gravity-related measurements. The clock measures atomic transitions to 19 decimal places. "I am confident that we have now built the world's most accurate clock," stated Professor Murray Barrett, CQT's principal investigator.
The lutetium atomic clock's transitions are minimally affected by temperature and magnetic field fluctuations, ensuring stability across a wide range of environmental conditions. The team conducted a 200-hour comparison between two lutetium atomic clocks, achieving a record inter-clock comparison uncertainty of 5.7 x 10⁻¹⁹.
While the second is currently defined by cesium atomic clocks, advancements in optical atomic clocks like this lutetium clock could lead to a redefinition of the second in the future. The researchers' next goal is to miniaturize the clock and develop portable prototypes for practical applications.