Jun Ye, a physicist at NIST/JILA, has developed the world’s most precise atomic clock, which would neither gain nor lose a second in 90 billion years. Ye’s fascination with measuring tools began in childhood, and he has dedicated his career to developing increasingly precise instruments for scientific research.
Ye’s work has focused on developing the optical frequency comb, a revolutionary tool for measuring light frequencies with unprecedented accuracy. This technology has been used to create more precise atomic clocks, which could potentially replace current time standards. These clocks have applications in various fields, including gravitational wave detection, dark matter research, and GPS navigation.
Ye’s research has been driven by his belief that new discoveries in physics emerge from developing and refining measuring tools. His work has been recognized with the Nobel Prize in Physics, and he continues to push the boundaries of precision measurement in atomic clocks and other scientific instruments.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2023/06/jun-ye-timely-profile
Keywords: Precision, Atomic clocks, Frequency combs, Quantum states, Gravitational waves
