World's most accurate clock is now on the market: Here's how much it costs

Japanese firm Shimadzu Corp plans to sell 10 units of the optical lattice clock over three years in Japan and internationally

Kyoto-based precision equipment manufacturer Shimadzu Corporation has begun selling the world's most accurate commercially available timepiece -- a strontium optical lattice clock with a deviation of just one second over ten billion years, Japanese news agency Kyodo News reported on Wednesday.

 

Priced at 500 million yen (approximately $3.3 million), the clock is expected to be used for advanced scientific research and geophysical applications.

 

The optical lattice clock, developed in collaboration with The University of Tokyo and RIKEN, is about 100 times more precise than traditional cesium atomic clocks, which currently define the SI second. While the company acknowledges that there may be more advanced clocks out there, this is the most accurate clock to now be available on the market.

 

 

Shimadzu Corp plans to sell 10 units over three years in Japan and internationally.

 

What makes optical lattice the most accurate clock?

Optical lattice clocks operate by trapping atoms in standing waves of light and measuring their optical transitions.

 

The newly developed model has been miniaturised to a volume of 250 liters, making it one-quarter the size of a previous transportable version, the company said in a release in November last year. This reduction was achieved by embedding shim coils within the vacuum chamber and densely integrating lasers and control electronics.

 

The clock is designed to withstand temperature fluctuations, vibrations, and long-term aging, ensuring reliable performance in diverse environments.

 

Beyond its role in precise timekeeping, Shimadzu envisions potential applications of the clock in:

1. Relativistic geodesy, which measures variations in Earth's gravitational field.
2. Geophysical monitoring, including tracking plate tectonics and volcanic activity.
3. Fundamental physics experiments, such as testing Einstein’s theory of relativity.

 

Who invented the clock?

The optical lattice clock, a leading contender for redefining the SI second, was invented in 2001 by Professor Hidetoshi Katori of the University of Tokyo. The International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) plans to update the global timekeeping standard in 2030, potentially replacing the cesium-based definition.

 

Shimadzu has made an ultra-precise optical clock available for commercial use for the first time.