Microscopic atoms could improve precision measurements

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. Microscopic atoms could improve precision measurements A microscopic atom cloud that is colder than outer space could help improve our ability to make precision measurements for the development of next-generation rotational sensors and GPS. Mathematicians and physicists at Durham and Newcastle universities are using the principles of quantum science to harness the properties of ultracold atoms for precise measurements. Removing the heat energy of an ordinary gas slows down the atoms so the gas condenses to form a quantum cloud - known as a Bose-Einstein condensate - which is no bigger than a few microns and far cooler than outer space. This new state of matter, first created in ground-breaking US experiments in 1995, is typically trapped inside magnetic fields and laser light, so that its wave characteristics can be analysed. In addition to ongoing support from a number of national/European sources, the research team has now received a £1m grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to take this work to the next stage and explore the properties and potential applications of these ultra-cold atoms.