Two teams of scientists have reportedly given birth to a new form of matter, named the "Time Crystal". It is being considered as an incredible feat, which was once dubbed "impossible" in the world of quantum science.
According to the Independent, the Time Crystal is said to have a repetitive pattern across the fourth dimension, time, unlike any other material having only three dimensions. This indicates to the fact that the Time crystals will keep swinging forever without any external stimulus. A Time Crystal is deemed to be a closed system, so no energy is lost to the outside world from the matter. It also appears to have superconductor like properties, so that the electrons can move without any resistance.
The existence of the Time crystal was first suggested in 2012. However, there was doubt in the minds of some researchers whether the Time crystal could be created defying the laws of physics. It is, to an extent, deemed possible only because of the strange way matter behaves at the quantum level. Though practical applications are far and wide, the Time crystal's unique properties are believed to be able to make quantum computing a reality.
According to Mail Online, one of the two teams of scientists bombarded atomic ions with laser rays to create a magnetic field and flipped the spin of the atoms partially using another laser. The sequence was repeated over and over, creating a pattern of flips repeating in time. The scientists found that the ions responded in a slower way, exactly half as fast as the pulses that drove them. The other team of scientists created a Time crystal via an artificial lattice in a synthetic diamond.
As per the scientists, a complex interplay between many quantum controls lead to the formation of Time crystals at an individual atomic level. However, the presence of Time crystals in certain solid state device is also possible.
The research states that the phenomenon of Time crystal formation can be well used in future quantum devices. The results of the research were published in the journal "Nature".
