Scientists Have Devised a New Type of Quantum Watch
- AKAP
- Nov 1, 2022
- 2 min read
Scientists have invented a novel time-measuring device that is different to any previous watch as it requires no initial point of reference. The best way to do so was by experimenting with atoms in a so-called Rydberg state — a state in which the electrons from atoms become highly excited and are pushed very far away from their nucleus. During experiments, the physicists excited helium atoms using a laser, while another laser firing short pulses of ultraviolet light measured the spectrum of the Rydberg state atoms.