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Physicists have filmed the oscillation of a time crystal

sciencealert.com

31–40 of 111 posts

Re: Physicists have filmed the oscillation of a time crystal

#32
post #22

How do Time Crystals differ from the quartz crystals used for time keeping in electronics? Is the only difference that Time Crystals oscillate without needing an electric field?

From my very limited knowledge of physics, time crystals can theoretically oscillate forever without any excitation at their ground state, though laws of theromodynamics are not broken and energy cannot be extracted from their oscillations. In a normal crystal oscillater, power is needed to keep the crystal oscillating.

I have no knowledge of them but the article says it oscillates at lower energy levels, almost nil, compared to a quartz crystals. Since it is still unexplored territory there are lots of possible applications.

Re: Physicists have filmed the oscillation of a time crystal

#33
post #25

Since the article doesn't do a good job of explaining what a time crystal is , here's my attempt at summarizing the Wikipedia article [0]. Normally, a system which is driven by an external frequency oscillates at the same, or a multiple of the driving frequency. This is because the external conditions are symmetric under a time translation (i.e. a delay) by the period duration. This symmetry is normally preserved by…

I would say that gravitational waves break the idea that empty space is symmetrical

Re: Physicists have filmed the oscillation of a time crystal

#34
post #33
post #25

Since the article doesn't do a good job of explaining what a time crystal is , here's my attempt at summarizing the Wikipedia article [0]. Normally, a system which is driven by an external frequency oscillates at the same, or a multiple of the driving frequency. This is because the external conditions are symmetric under a time translation (i.e. a delay) by the period duration. This symmetry is normally preserved by…

I would say that gravitational waves break the idea that empty space is symmetrical

Could you elaborate on that?

Re: Physicists have filmed the oscillation of a time crystal

#35
post #33
post #25

Since the article doesn't do a good job of explaining what a time crystal is , here's my attempt at summarizing the Wikipedia article [0]. Normally, a system which is driven by an external frequency oscillates at the same, or a multiple of the driving frequency. This is because the external conditions are symmetric under a time translation (i.e. a delay) by the period duration. This symmetry is normally preserved by…

I would say that gravitational waves break the idea that empty space is symmetrical

I mean, you're technically correct (the best kind of correct). But in the lab, we're pretty safe with neglecting the effects of general relativity.

Re: Physicists have filmed the oscillation of a time crystal

#36
post #25

Since the article doesn't do a good job of explaining what a time crystal is , here's my attempt at summarizing the Wikipedia article [0]. Normally, a system which is driven by an external frequency oscillates at the same, or a multiple of the driving frequency. This is because the external conditions are symmetric under a time translation (i.e. a delay) by the period duration. This symmetry is normally preserved by…

What are potential applications?

Do the allow some kind of special optical devices?

Re: Physicists have filmed the oscillation of a time crystal

#37
post #22

How do Time Crystals differ from the quartz crystals used for time keeping in electronics? Is the only difference that Time Crystals oscillate without needing an electric field?

From my very limited knowledge of physics, time crystals can theoretically oscillate forever without any excitation at their ground state, though laws of theromodynamics are not broken and energy cannot be extracted from their oscillations. In a normal crystal oscillater, power is needed to keep the crystal oscillating.

[deleted]

Re: Physicists have filmed the oscillation of a time crystal

#40
post #22

How do Time Crystals differ from the quartz crystals used for time keeping in electronics? Is the only difference that Time Crystals oscillate without needing an electric field?

From my very limited knowledge of physics, time crystals can theoretically oscillate forever without any excitation at their ground state, though laws of theromodynamics are not broken and energy cannot be extracted from their oscillations. In a normal crystal oscillater, power is needed to keep the crystal oscillating.

While this may be that they can oscillate forever, measuring it is an act of removing energy from it.
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