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Laser with record stability

06.02.2022

The scientists behind the BACON (Boulder Atomic Clock Optical Network) project are building a global network of interconnected atomic clocks, recently tested a new laser system that has achieved the highest stability record to date. Through the use of a number of innovations and engineering solutions, the beam of this laser system was able to maintain its stability, covering a distance of 2,4 kilometers in the open air. The wavelength, phase, and amplitude stability of this laser system is at least 100 times greater than similar systems built before, and 1000 times greater than the stability of the atomic clock itself, which will be connected and synchronized using such laser communication.

If the creation of a global network of atomic clocks is ultimately successful, it will give scientists a highly accurate tool to test some of the fundamental laws of physics, to study dark matter, to create high-precision navigation systems, and so on. One of the conditions for creating this is the presence of laser communication capable of providing clock synchronization, i.e. the stability of this bond must be much higher than that of an atomic clock. Moreover, such a connection must work in open air, which in itself is a rather difficult task.

During the experiments, the scientists "shot" a laser beam at a reflector set at a distance of 1.2 kilometers and analyzed the parameters of the light that returned to the source. The highest stability indicators were maintained for 5 minutes, after which additional adjustment and recalibration of the system was required. Five minutes, however, is a long enough period of time during which thousands and even millions of highly accurate measurements can be made.

The distance of 2,4 kilometers for the experiment was not chosen by chance. According to calculations, the amount of atmospheric perturbations and turbulence at such a distance near the Earth's surface corresponds to the amount that will act on a laser beam directed from the surface to low Earth orbit, because the air in the higher layers of the atmosphere is thinner and has a more "calm character". And new methods of noise reduction, control of thermal expansion and regulation of the position of the reflector made it possible to maintain the stability of the laser beam passing through the "pockets" of oscillating air.

Another factor that contributed to the improvement in stability was the use of a laser emitting a continuous beam of light rather than a pulsed laser. These two types of lasers have their advantages and disadvantages in different applications, but as practice has shown, a continuous laser can still provide better stability, plus it is able to transmit more information per unit of time.

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Language influences thinking from infancy 02.08.2016

Usually we think that language only reflects the features of our vision, our thoughts and feelings. But can language itself influence our thinking?

The question arises at what age the influence of language on thinking first manifests itself. And, it would seem, the answer suggests itself that this happens in childhood, when the child learns to speak. Researchers from Northwestern University agree with this point of view, but with one caveat - according to their data, language begins to influence consciousness even before a person pronounces his first word.

Nine-month-olds, who were not yet able to speak, were shown brightly colored creatures that, appearing randomly in the middle of the screen, ran either to the left or right, and then disappeared. The essence of the experiment was that the "population" of beings was designated either by one word or by two words, and in the latter case one word was intended for those who move in one direction, and the other for those who move in the other direction. These words were heard by the children watching the creatures.

Then came the turn of the second part of the experiment: multi-colored creatures again appeared in the center of the screen, and psychologists carefully watched with the help of special equipment, where the children would look. In the direction of the child's gaze, one could understand what he expected from the creature - that it would move to the left or to the right. The point here was to understand whether there was a connection between the verbal categories denoting "right" beings and "left" beings, and thinking. The connection really appeared: those children who learned two categories predicted the movement of the figures quite well; but those who heard only one name common to all, could not predict the direction of movement.

It follows that even in the process of initial language acquisition and even before a person himself learns to speak, language categories affect both our perception and the ability to work and analyze what we managed to perceive.

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