ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | APRIL 2025 9 the broader impacts and practicality of this approach for materials in energy storage applications and beyond,” says researcher Tae Wook Heo. llnl.gov. ACCURATE ATOM-BASED THERMOMETER Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Md., developed a new thermometer using atoms boosted to such high energy levels that they are 1000 times larger than normal. By monitoring how these so-called “Rydberg” atoms interact with heat in their environment, scientists can measure temperature with extreme accuracy. The thermometer’s sensitivity could improve temperature measurements in fields ranging from quantum research to industrial manufacturing. Unlike traditional thermometers, a Rydberg thermometer does not require factory calibration because it relies on the basic principles of quantum physics. These quantum principles yield precise measurements that are also directly traceable to international standards. To create the thermometer, researchers filled a vacuum chamber with a gas of rubidium atoms and used lasers and magnetic fields to trap and cool them to nearly absolute zero. This means the atoms were essentially not moving. Using lasers, they then boosted the atoms’ outermost electrons to very high orbits, making the atoms approximately 1000 times larger than ordinary rubidium atoms. In Rydberg atoms, the outermost electron is far away from the core of the atom, making it more responsive to electric fields. Scientists can then measure temperature by tracking these energy jumps over time. Rydberg thermometers can measure the temperature of their Noah Schlossberger monitors how giant Rydberg atoms interact with heat in their environment. Courtesy of R. Jacobson/NIST. environment from about 0° to 100°C without needing to touch the object being measured. Beyond precision science, the new thermometer could have applications in challenging environments from spacecraft to advanced manufacturing plants, where sensitive temperature readings are essential. nist.gov. STAY AHEAD OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY WITH ASM EDUCATION & TRAINING. EARN CEUs, ENJOY DISCOUNTS, NETWORK, AND LEARN FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS. SCAN TO ENROLL TODAY Education
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