Discovered a whole new method of measuring time

This new quantum chronograph, made of lasers and helium atoms, can measure elapsed time with complete precision without counting seconds like other watches.

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Scientists have invented a new way to measure time - Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK

Until now, mankind still uses traditional clocks and even atomic clocks as a means of measuring time. For example counting the number of seconds elapsed when a person runs.

Recently, a team of researchers working at Uppsala University in Sweden discovered a new method to measure time. They have published their work in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters .

According to Phys.org , the researchers used the wave-like nature of Rydberg states to measure time.

Rydberg atoms are atoms that are fired with a laser to push their electrons to an extremely high energy state, which also pushes the electrons further away from the nucleus. The way electrons move is described as their Rydberg state, and the way they are mathematically characterized is called a wave packet.

Just like real waves in a pond, when more than one packet of Rydberg waves ripple through a space, interference will result, resulting in unique ripple patterns. Throw the Rydberg wave packets at the same helium atom and those unique patterns will represent each distinct time.

It is these 'fingerprints' of time that are examined by physicists, showing that they are consistent and reliable enough to serve as a form of quantum timestamp.

Unlike any other clock, this quantum clock does not use a counter and is purely quantum mechanical in nature, the study explains.

Physicist Marta Berholts, who led the science experiment to measure time, explained to New Scientist magazine : "The benefit of this is that you don't have to start the clock - you just have to look at the interference structure. and said 'okay, it's 4 nanoseconds'.

Future quantum clock experiments could replace helium with other atoms, or even use laser pulses of different energies, to expand the timestamp to suit more conditions.

This method of measuring time is more accurate than conventional chronographs.

In the short term, this type of clock could be useful for some difficult-to-measure quantum experiments. For example, it can help scientists measure moments as small as 1.7 trillionths of a second.