Matter wave clock

A matter wave clock is a type of <a href="/facts/Clock/MYolzNkw">clock</a> whose principle of operation makes use of the apparent wavelike properties of matter.
<a href="/facts/Matter_wave/Rpszb8f1">Matter waves</a> were first proposed by <a href="/facts/Louis_de_Broglie/v696wFwH">Louis de Broglie</a> and are sometimes called de Broglie waves. They form a key aspect of <a href="/facts/Wave%25E2%2580%2593particle_duality/Au3UlcwQ">wave–particle duality</a> and experiments have since supported the idea. The wave associated with a particle of a given mass, such as an <a href="/facts/Atom/FoQ4kGN5">atom</a>, has a defined <a href="/facts/Frequency/QUSbPaW8">frequency</a>, and a change in the duration of one cycle from peak to peak that is sometimes called its Compton periodicity. Such a matter wave has the characteristics of a simple clock, in that it marks out fixed and equal intervals of time. The <a href="/facts/Twins_paradox/A5HkxGV5">twins paradox</a> arising from <a href="/facts/Albert_Einstein/CNTet8qu">Albert Einstein</a>'s theory of <a href="/facts/Special_relativity/vsFFc63E">relativity</a> means that a moving particle will have a slightly different period from a stationary particle. Comparing two such particles allows the construction of a practical "Compton clock".

Matter wave clock open-in-new

Matter wave clock