Physicists are on a quest to push the boundaries of precision measurement, and a new device developed by a team at Caltech could be a game-changer. By merging state-of-the-art atomic clocks with quantum computers, researchers are paving the way for some of the most accurate time measurements ever achieved. This groundbreaking technology has the potential to unlock new insights into the fundamental laws of nature, including Einstein’s general theory of relativity and the mysterious nature of dark matter.
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Physicists pushing to make new measurement have turned their attention to the rather mysterious realm of quantum mechanics, with an area called quantum metrology. Quantum metrology is a fascinating field that leverages quantum effects such as superposition and entanglement to achieve measurement accuracies beyond what has classically been considered possible.
Now, a group of researchers at Caltech led by Professor of Physics Manuel Endres have combined these two: atomic clocks-have with quantum computing. For decades, the precision of measurement has been based on atomic clocks that are capable of using the quantum properties of atoms to keep time correctly. Connecting these repeat clocks with quantum computers is now allowing researchers to expand the limits of what we know about time and providing new insights into basic physical laws.
Quantum Link: Better Entanglement for Precision
The team’s success can be attributed to the entanglement of atoms in the atomic clock array. Entanglement explains how particles can be linked, even if they are not in contact. This property also ensures that the atoms as a whole can act as one, rather than individual atoms which makes possible extraordinary accuracy in measurements.
The method that they have developed with a type of ‘tweezer clocks’, which are under control, and lasers to control every atom in the array and treat them like a small object. The roving team has explored embedded quantum computation within these tweezer clocks as well, increasing the timekeeping fidelity with the power of quantum computing. Atomic clocks work with quantum mechanics to measure time, but quantum computers use it to run calculations, explains Endres. “Here we are addressing the junction of both.
Revealing New Facets of the Laws of Nature
This revolutionary technology has signification implications that reach well beyond timekeeping. Such accurate measurements have the potential to profoundly improve our knowledge of the basic laws of nature, including Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
Additionally, the so-called Sagnac interferometer would help in confirming the existence of gravitational waves, which are ripples in space-time predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago and only observed for the first time ever last year at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), a Caltech- and MIT-managed project. With its unparalleled precision, this new technology could open up whole new fields of investigation into these behaviors, potentially offering a new window into the universe we live in.
