The Invention Of The Atomic Clocks
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The Invention of Atomic Clocks
Summary
Louis Essen, born in 1908 in Nottingham, England, played a pivotal role in revolutionizing time measurement. Graduating from the University of Nottingham at 20, he began working at the National Physics Laboratory (NPL), where he made groundbreaking advances in clock accuracy.
Article
Louis Essen, born in 1908 in Nottingham, England, developed a passion for learning that propelled his academic journey. After graduating from the University of Nottingham at the age of 20, he embarked on a promising career at the National Physics Laboratory (NPL).
While at NPL, Essen focused on developing a quartz crystal oscillator, aiming for it to achieve the accuracy of a pendulum clock. Ten years into his tenure, he invented the Essen ring, a quartz-based clock three times more precise than its predecessors.
Expanding his research, Essen explored measuring the speed of light during World War II. He developed the cavity resonance wavemeter, which he used with colleague Albert Gordon-Smith to make highly accurate speed of light measurements. These became the most precise records of the time.
In the early 1950s, inspired by research at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in the U.S., Essen turned his attention to atomic clocks. While American scientists experimented with ammonia molecules, Essen believed hydrogen or cesium would yield better results. Teaming up with Jack Parry in 1953, he received approval to develop an atomic clock at NPL, leveraging his expertise in quartz oscillators and wavemeters.
By 1955, the first atomic clock, Caesium I, was operational, surpassing U.S. efforts hindered by political issues. Essen's innovation improved clock accuracy from one second in 300 years to one second in 2000 years by 1964. This remarkable precision led to redefining the second based on atomic clock radiation cycles.
Louis Essen passed away in 1997, leaving a legacy of unmatched contributions to timekeeping. He was honored with numerous accolades, including the OBE and the Tompion Gold Medal from the Clockmakers Company.
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