NIST has launched a new atomic clock, NIST-F2, which is three times more accurate than the current NIST-F1 standard. The new clock, which has been under development for a decade, is now the world’s most accurate time standard. NIST plans to operate both NIST-F1 and NIST-F2 simultaneously to compare and improve both clocks.
The new clock uses a “fountain” of cesium atoms to determine the exact length of a second, and operates in a much colder environment than the current standard. This cooling reduces measurement errors and improves accuracy.
NIST-F2 is used to calibrate other clocks and contribute to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the international standard of time. The new clock will be used to time-stamp financial transactions and synchronize clocks in computers and network devices.
In the future, optical atomic clocks that operate at higher frequencies could lead to even more accurate time standards, potentially more than 100 times more accurate than today’s cesium standards.
Keywords: atomic clock, cesium, time standard
