Singapore creates atomic clock accurate to the 19th decimal place — Live Science

Physicists at the National University of Singapore have created an atomic clock based on the lutetium-176 isotope, whose accuracy has been confirmed to the 19th decimal place. According to Live Science, the developers call the device the most accurate atomic clock, and its precision is 41% higher than that of the previous record holder. The study results were published in the journal Nature on September 23.

A clock based on lutetium

Atomic clocks measure time by the oscillations of atoms. The new device uses the oscillations of lutetium atoms to precisely measure microseconds. According to the study authors, lutetium-176 is less sensitive to external factors, including magnetic fields and temperature, than the elements used in previous ultra-precise clocks.

Study co-author Murray Barrett, a physicist at the National University of Singapore, explained that the key task is ensuring the isotope's stability over a long period. According to him, a lutetium-176 clock continues to operate even when the external temperature fluctuates by 5 degrees, whereas other elements may require temperature control within a few thousandths of a degree.

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Possible change to the definition of the second

The research team also applied a hyperfine averaging method to reduce the impact of external factors, including magnetic and gravitational fields, on time measurements.

Since 1968, the second has been defined through radiation from the cesium-133 atom: one second corresponds to 9.19 billion of its oscillations. According to the publication, the International Bureau of Weights and Measures expects to revise the definition of the second in 2030, taking modern atomic clocks into account. Ultra-precise instruments may also help researchers test whether fundamental physical constants remain unchanged.