Chip-scale atomic clock

PhysOrg.com ^ | 8/28/04

[LibWhacker]

I'd love to have a decent, cheap system clock, and a wristwatch that I'd never have to set again!

[Hodar]

Might I suggest this little bueaty:

Self-setting, Solar Power, and G-Shock Technology all in one!

This remarkable watch from Casio sets it self by picking up and decoding radio signals emitted form the US atomic clock in Fort Collins, CO. This means you never have to set the watch, it will set itself! This watch corrects itself every day to maintain down to the second accuracy. It will even set itself back and forth from daylight Savings Time. You'll never need to replace the battery because this watch is solar-powered! And better yet this watch also has other great features that you have come to expect from Casio such as an Electro-luminescent backlight, stopwatch, and four alarms. Added features include superior reception with reception strength indicator, and world time for 30 cites. And better yet the watch is G-Shock tough and is water resistant down to 200 meters!

Less than $100 at Costco.

[LuigiBasco]

Get yourself a Casio Wave Ceptor. Atomic wrist watch that never needs setting. $99

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[LibWhacker]

Thanks. I've owned a couple of G-Shocks. Loved them. But the problem I had with them was the rubber bands kept breaking and I couldn't replace 'em!

[fhayek]

The new clock is based on the same general idea as other atomic clocks such as the NIST-F1 fountain clock--measuring time by the natural vibrations of cesium atoms, at 9.2 billion "ticks" per second--but uses a different design. In the chip-scale clock, cesium vapor is confined in a sealed cell and probed with light from an equally small infrared laser, which generates two electromagnetic fields. The difference in frequency of these two fields is tuned until it equals the difference between two energy levels of the atoms. The atoms then enter a "dark state" in which they stop absorbing and emitting light; this point defines the natural resonance frequency of cesium. An external oscillator, such as quartz crystal like those found in wristwatches, then can be stabilized against this standard.

Now why didn't I think of that.

[LibWhacker]

Thanks, I'll check out both of these watches. I'm pretty rough on watches, so they have to be tough. The only thing that's ever come close to performing satisfactorily for me was the G-Shock.

In your experience, do either of these watches you guys mentioned ever lose the signal from Ft. Collins for extended periods? That happens to the "atomic" clock on our mantle occasionally. Drives me nuts! It can take days to correct itself. But it's an older model. So maybe that's the problem.

[Hodar]

I can't answer too many questions about the atomic wrist watches; as I do not own them.

I would expect that a wrist watch would have a 'Synch NOW' command, so you could step outside for a few seconds...

[Larry Lucido]

I've got a Casio that I bought 20 years ago. It shows the exact time twice a day.

[Blue Screen of Death]

I have found that using the speed of light and the reflective properties of different materials have allowed me to design and create an extremely accurate time piece that requires no batteries, winding or external power source.

I am going to call it a sun dial.

[disclaimer]

opening the door to atomically precise timekeeping in portable, battery-powered devices for secure wireless communications, more precise navigation and other applications

Kerry probably has plans already to sell this technology to the Chinese and North Koreans so they can target us more precisely. Probably on the phone now with Clinton asking advice.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This part "cesium vapor is confined in a sealed cell" is really tough, I'm not very good with tweezers!

ROFL!!

Did you guys hear about the Japanese company that has figured out how to both record and read back from a specially designed multilayer CD using holographic techniques. If they can pull it off in some years , the data carrying capacity of a CD will go by at least another order of magnitude.

[LuigiBasco]

I just checked Casio's web page and they don't list the one I have. I have had it for two years and never a problem.
Chrome metal strap, big and heavy.
I wouldn't trade it for anything.

[LibWhacker]

I hear 'ya . . . It's so obvious, lol!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Speaking of nano-tech:

The Players and Pretenders of Nanotech---
The Motley Fools

[LibWhacker]

Amazon's list of Wave Ceptor's for sale

Oh, man . . . I hope that link works! :-)

Price is right. No doubt about that!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

More on nanotech:

Profiting From Moore's Law

Intel ~~~ The company claims it has developed a fully functional 70-megabyte memory chip with transistor switches measuring just 35 nanometers, about 30% smaller than state-of-the-art chips found on the market today.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

And one more:

Intel to throttle power by enhancing silicon

Intel...... 65-nanometer manufacturing process, which will begin in 2005

[jordan8]

Maybe now they can make home computers that keep decent time. Oh well, till then there's always MR Tech ClockAlign.

[LuigiBasco]

Try this one. I've had it since it's inception from Parsons Technology bought out by Broderbund. A fantasic program. Full of features..And cheap.
http://www.afolders.com/Software/afxB00007LV5P.htm

Luigi