On October 7th, a groundbreaking achievement emerged from the collaborative efforts of Tsinghua University and several domestic research teams, as they unveiled the world's inaugural "nuclear optical clock." This milestone signifies a monumental leap in quantum precision measurement, transitioning from electronic to nuclear transitions, and paves the way for revolutionary advancements in next-generation high-performance time-frequency standards, deep-space exploration, and fundamental physics research. The esteemed international journal Nature published this remarkable research on the same day.

The "nuclear optical clock" is hailed as the next frontier in time-frequency standards, succeeding atomic microwave clocks and atomic optical clocks, and represents a pinnacle of research in quantum precision measurement. The Tsinghua University team dedicated nearly five years to pioneering an innovative 148-nanometer continuous-wave vacuum ultraviolet laser technology. Leveraging this cutting-edge light source, they successfully induced nuclear transitions in the radioactive isotope thorium-229, culminating in the development of the "nuclear optical clock."

According to reports, the "nuclear optical clock" holds immense promise for future applications in navigation and deep-space exploration. It is anticipated to enable unprecedented precision in satellite and spacecraft positioning and distance measurements, thereby addressing crucial national needs.