Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026
10:42
Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh
Published on: May 3, 2019
7.5K
Motion and gravity effects in the precision of quantum clocks
Joel Lindkvist1, Carlos Sabín2, Göran Johansson1
1Microtechnology and Nanoscience, MC2, Chalmers University of Technology, S-41296 Göteborg, Sweden.
Scientific Reports
|May 20, 2015
Summary
Motion and gravity impact quantum clock precision. While squeezed vacuum states degrade with motion, coherent states offer resilience, potentially improving timekeeping accuracy with advancements in superconducting resonators.
Area of Science:
- Quantum physics
- Relativistic mechanics
- Metrology
Background:
- Quantum clocks are essential for precise time measurement.
- Understanding the impact of spacetime dynamics on quantum systems is crucial.
- Previous studies have not fully explored motion's effects on quantum clock precision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how relativistic motion and gravity affect the precision of quantum clocks.
- To determine the ultimate bound in time measurement precision under relativistic motion.
- To identify optimal quantum states for time estimation in dynamic spacetimes.
Main Methods:
- Modeling a localized quantum field as a quantum clock moving in spacetime.
- Analyzing state modification due to acceleration using quantum Fisher information.
- Comparing the performance of squeezed vacuum and coherent states for time estimation.
Main Results:
- Relativistic motion and gravity demonstrably alter quantum clock precision.
- Squeezed vacuum states are sensitive to motion-induced degradation of quantum Fisher information.
- Coherent states exhibit greater resilience, with potential precision enhancement at low photon numbers.
Conclusions:
- Motion significantly impacts quantum clock performance, necessitating careful state selection.
- Coherent states represent a promising avenue for robust quantum timekeeping in dynamic environments.
- Experimental verification is feasible using current superconducting resonator technology.
Related Concept Videos
01:12Measuring Acceleration Due to Gravity
1.4K
Consider a coffee mug hanging on a hook in a pantry. If the mug gets knocked, it oscillates back and forth like a pendulum until the oscillations die out.
A simple pendulum can be described as a point mass and a string. Meanwhile, a physical pendulum is any object whose oscillations are similar to a simple pendulum, but cannot be modeled as a point mass on a string because its mass is distributed over a larger area. The behavior of a physical pendulum can be modeled using the principles of...
A simple pendulum can be described as a point mass and a string. Meanwhile, a physical pendulum is any object whose oscillations are similar to a simple pendulum, but cannot be modeled as a point mass on a string because its mass is distributed over a larger area. The behavior of a physical pendulum can be modeled using the principles of...
1.4K
01:06Physical Pendulum
3.0K
When a rigid body is hanging freely from a fixed pivot point and is displaced, it oscillates similar to a simple pendulum and is known as a physical pendulum. The period and angular frequency of a physical pendulum are obtained by using the small-angle approximation and drawing parallels with a spring-mass system. The small-angle approximation (sinθ=θ) is valid up to about 14°.
When dealing with complicated systems, the mass moment of inertia is an important parameter, as it...
When dealing with complicated systems, the mass moment of inertia is an important parameter, as it...
3.0K
01:10Simple Pendulum
8.6K
A simple pendulum consists of a small diameter ball suspended from a string, which has negligible mass but is strong enough to not stretch. In our daily life, pendulums have many uses, such as in clocks, on a swing set, and on a sinker on a fishing line.
The period of a simple pendulum depends on two factors: its length and the acceleration due to gravity. The period is completely independent of any other factors, such as mass or maximum displacement. For small displacements, a pendulum is...
The period of a simple pendulum depends on two factors: its length and the acceleration due to gravity. The period is completely independent of any other factors, such as mass or maximum displacement. For small displacements, a pendulum is...
8.6K
01:20Variation in Acceleration due to Gravity near the Earth's Surface
3.0K
An object's apparent weight is its weight measured by a spring balance at its location. It is different from its true weight, the force with which the Earth pulls it, because of the Earth's rotation. Mathematically, an object's apparent weight equals its true weight minus the centripetal force that keeps it in a circular motion along with the Earth's surface every 24 hours.
The difference between the true and apparent weights is proportional to the square of the Earth's...
The difference between the true and apparent weights is proportional to the square of the Earth's...
3.0K
01:12Classical Mechanics
146
Classical mechanics provides a mathematical description of the motion of bodies under the influence of forces. A key principle within this field is the work-energy theorem, which establishes a bridge between the net work done on an object and its kinetic energy.The work-energy theorem states that the net work done on a particle by all the forces acting on it equals the change in its kinetic energy.In simple terms, the work-energy theorem is a method to analyze the effects of forces on an...
146
01:11Atomic Nuclei: Larmor Precession Frequency
3.8K
The earth's gravitational field produces a 'twisting force' perpendicular to the angular momentum of a spinning mass (such as a spinning top) that causes the mass to 'wobble' around the gravitational field axis in a phenomenon called precession. Similarly, the magnetic moment (μ) of a spinning nucleus precesses due to an external magnetic field directed along the z-axis. The precession of the magnetic moment vector about the magnetic field is called Larmor precession,...
3.8K