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Researchers observe time crystal in a spin maser system

Time crystals represent a new phase of matter proposed by Frank Wilczek, the Nobel laureate of Â鶹ÒùÔºics in 2004; they can break original time-translation symmetry and create new time oscillations spontaneously.

Recently, a joint research team from the National Time Service Center (NTSC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Jiao Tong University observed a time crystal in a spin maser system.

The results are in Communications Â鶹ÒùÔºics.

In this study, the researchers investigated a Rb-Xe hybrid atomic spin maser system. They discovered that when the interaction strength of the spin-feedback magnetic field surpasses that of the spin–DC magnetic field, a distinct spin oscillation signal emerges. The signal oscillates with a frequency totally different from that of the original spin Larmor precession, and it has random phases and shows high robustness over repeated experiments, fitting the definition of time crystals.

"Our research provides an alternative scheme to the existing time crystals," said Prof. Liu Guobin, leader of the atomic spin gyroscope research group from NTSC.

The time crystal in a spin maser could potentially be used for both fundamental studies and practical applications based on precision measurement physics.