British secret lab develops atomic clock using quantum technology
The British Army announced on Thursday that it is working on an atomic clock that utilizes quantum technology so precise it “will lose less than a second over billions of years.” This innovation aims to enhance the efficiency of military operations.
Providing more than precision timekeeping, quantum clocks will look to further improve GPS accuracy and could even transform global navigation systems, aiding in everything from satellite communication to aircraft navigation.
Developed at the top-secret Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the quantum clock will be a “leap forward in improving intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance by decreasing the reliance on GPS technology, which can be disrupted and blocked by adversaries”, according to the Ministry of Defense.
“Further research will see the technology decrease in size to allow mass manufacturing and miniaturization, unlocking a wide range of applications, such as use by military vehicles and aircraft,” said the MOD.
While such clocks already exist—developed by the University of Boulder in Colorado in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) over the past fifteen years, employing lasers to trap atoms and significantly improve time measurement—this will be the first device of its kind built in the United Kingdom. The British government assured that it will be deployable on military operations in the next five years.
Overall, the development of technologies that harness the principles of quantum physics, which govern the subatomic realm, is generating interest from countries and companies worldwide.
