Scientists from the Institute of Maryland (University of Maryland) and the California Institute in Berkeley (University of California-Berkeley) successfully created something, the creation of what was previously thought theoretically impossible. Siim something is a chain of ions, which is a 1st embodiment of the so-called space-time crystal, crystal, whose structure consists of parts that are repeated not only in space but also in time. The very existence of such crystals violates some of the basic laws of physics, which is a prerequisite for the emergence of a number of exotic effects. For example, a clock constructed on the basis of such a crystal will “tick” and after thermal destruction of the Universe, at the moment when all movement stops and the time, according to some scientists, simply stop.
At the time, like ordinary crystals have a crystal lattice which consists of similar alternating elements, space-time crystal is in motion, voricuas to a particular type at equal intervals of time. At the same time, to ensure movement of parts of the space-time crystal and changes of its structure requires no energy draw from the external source. The theoretical possibility of the creation of such crystals in 2012, substantiated by Frank Wilczek (Wilczek, Frank), a physicist from mit, though most of the other scientists denied and continues to deny this possibility.
Scientists made a time crystal represents a quantum ring system, which consists of atoms of ytterbium, which can be rotated in 2 directions, up or down. Using laser light, the researchers controlled the direction of rotation of the ions, which are in one of the halves of round chain. In a quantum system the rotation of each has an effect on neighboring ions, and this influence led to the fact that the “inverted” ions, having in most cases a complete circle, vorachivayutsya in its original state. In this case, the return to the initial state exactly twice the time taken by the ion to the passage way from the notional start of the circle to the point of its inversion.
Scientists have learned that the ions are returned to the original orientation of the direction of rotation continuously at the same speed, which does not depend on the time and point of space. This in turn indicates that the quantum system reacts a certain way to “perturbation” in her condition. And all this is extremely reminiscent of the behavior of atoms in the crystal grid of the crystal, which move from a private space under any outside influence.
The creation of the first sample of the space-time crystal has tremendous value for physics due to the fact that the existence of such a crystal violates the fundamental physical concept of symmetry. And further research in this direction can lead to the discovery of some entirely new laws of physics and quantum mechanics on the basis of which it will be possible to make technology that can now be considered something out of science fiction category.
