In our world of ticking clocks and swinging pendulums, the passage of time seems to simply count the seconds between "past" and "present."
However, on the quantum scale, electrons leap around unpredictably, making the "past" uncertain and the "present" a hazy blur. Conventional stopwatches are useless in such a context.
In 2022, researchers from Sweden's Uppsala University proposed a solution by finding answers in the patterns of quantum haze. They experimented with the wave properties of Rydberg states, revealing a novel way to measure time without needing a precise starting point.
Rydberg atoms, often compared to "balloons" in the particle world, expand with lasers instead of air. Their electrons are pushed to extremely high energy levels, orbiting far from the nucleus.
Yet, not every laser pulse inflates atoms to "cartoonish" proportions. Often, lasers are employed to gently excite electrons to higher energy states for various scientific purposes.
Physicists Discover a New Way to Measure Time | Quantum Timekeeping Explained
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In some applications, a second laser can monitor electron position changes to track the passage of time. This "pump-probe" technique is commonly used to measure the speed of ultra-fast electronic devices.
Exciting atoms into Rydberg states is a valuable tool for engineers designing new quantum computing components. Physicists have extensive knowledge about how electrons move in these states.
However, as quantum entities, electrons' movements are far from orderly, resembling a game of roulette where every leap is filled with randomness.
The mathematical rules governing this Rydberg electron "roulette" are known as Rydberg wave packets. Like real waves, when multiple packets converge, they create unique interference patterns.
When enough Rydberg wave packets converge in the same atomic "pond," their distinctive ripple patterns can represent the time required for their mutual evolution.
These time "fingerprints" intrigued the physicists conducting the experiment. They demonstrated that these "fingerprints" are stable and reliable enough to serve as a quantum method of marking time.
The research team measured the results of laser-excited helium atoms and compared them to theoretical predictions, showcasing how these unique outcomes could mark the passage of time.
"If you use a counter, you need to define a starting point to begin counting," explained Dr. Marta Berholts from Uppsala University in a 2022 interview with New Scientist. "The advantage of this method is that you don't need to start a clock; you simply observe the interference structure and say, 'Oh, 4 nanoseconds have passed."
A continually evolving guide to Rydberg wave packets could combine with other pump-probe spectroscopy techniques to measure microscopic events where "now" and "past" are blurred or difficult to define.
The key is that these time fingerprints don't require "past" or "present" as starting or ending points. It's akin to timing an unknown runner using a group of runners with consistent speeds.
By observing Rydberg state interference signals in a sample, technicians can time events as short as 1.7 picoseconds.
Future quantum timing experiments may use atoms other than helium or apply laser pulses of varying energy, expanding the database of time fingerprints to meet diverse requirements.
