“Physicists Discover New, More Accurate Method for Measuring Time using Rydberg Phase”

CNN Indonesia

Friday, 28 Apr 2023 17:00 WIB

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

a number physicist find a new way to measure time that is considered more precise than method previous measurements. Check out the following explanation.

Calculating time with the ticking of a clock and an oscillating pendulum is a simple way to count seconds. However, on the electron quantum scale, the calculations using this method are not very accurate.

Physicists at Uppsala University, Sweden are also trying to find a solution through experiments on the wave-like nature of something called the Rydberg phase (Rydberg state). Quoted from Live Sciencephysicists discovered that measuring time did not require a precise starting point.

In their experiments, the physicists tried to incorporate Rydberg atoms, which are collections of particles that are over-inflated with a laser beam rather than air.

As a result, these atoms contain electrons that are in a very high energy level, far from the nucleus.

Inserting atoms into the Rydberg Phase is not an easy job for physicists. The reason is, they at least have to design new components for quantum computers.

In addition, physicists have also accumulated a large amount of information about the way electrons move when pushed into the Rydberg Phase. In this phase, the atoms move like small balls on a roulette table.

The mathematical rules behind roulette are known as Rydberg Wave Packets. Just like a real wave, the many packets create interference that creates wrinkles with unique patterns.

That unique pattern will each represent a different amount of time it takes for each Package to evolve in response to one another. It is this “trace” that the physicists want to test.

As a result, the pattern turns out to be consistent and reliable enough to form a signature of quantum time. The physicists also engaged atomic helium lasers to measure the results and match their findings with theoretical predictions.

This is useful for showing the results of this study can last for a certain duration of time.

By analogy, measuring time using this new method is like measuring an unknown sprinter’s run against a set number of competitors running at a set pace.

“If you use a counter, you have to determine the zero. You start counting at a certain point,” said physicist Marta Berholts from Uppsala University as quoted from New Scientist.

“The advantage of this new thing is that you don’t have to wind the clock. You just have to look at the interference structure and say ‘OK, it’s been 4 nanoseconds,'” he added.

By looking at the interference signatures on the Rydberg Phase in the middle of the atomic pump, technicians can see the time signature for any brief event of just a fraction of 1.7 trillion seconds.

(lom/lth)