For the past few weeks, google’s creation of a time crystal has made its way across the internet. But what exactly is this sci-fi sounding state of matter? Let’s break it down.
What:
A time crystal is matter that is able to flip between two different states of equilibrium constantly, without using any energy. This seems to violate the second law of thermodynamic, as it does not increase in disorder or lose energy over time.
A time crystal is made by forcing a stable particles to reverse their spin. All we need to make a time crystal is the ability for the particles of the crystal to have 2 stable states, than for it to be able to constantly change polarity. Lucky for us, scientists were able to solve both these problems.
Problem 1 – stable states: According to certain principles of quantum mechanics, if a particle is stable, a particle with the same properties and opposite spin is also stable. This means every particle is able to have 2 different stable states.
Problem 2 – changing spin: By using a laser that constantly changes spin through reversing the magnetic field, Google was able to lock the quibits of the Sycamore supercomputer into flipping from 1 to 0 and back to 1. Strangely enough, this use of the laser didn’t actually pass any energy to the quibits(shown by the energy level of the laser remaining constant). This means the creation was a success!
Who:
The first confirmed time crystal was made by Google, with their quantum computer named Sycamore. If you want to learn more about quantum computers, check out the last blog post.
The idea of the time crystal was first proposed by Frank Wilczek, who is a nobel prizewinner in physics for his contributions with the strong force. If you want to learn more about the basics of quantum physics, I recommend reading his book, titled “Fundamentals”. It breaks down key quantum ideas, and is still simple and entertaining enough for the average person to understand and enjoy.
When:
The idea of the time crystal was first concieved in 2012. Google was able to create a time crystal for 100 seconds in July 28th of 2021.
Why:
While the strange properties of the time crystal are interesting to learn about, we won’t immediately be using them in day to day life. Time crystals are significant because they show time in a new light. Quantum physics is all about finding a theory of everything, which has to include time. Right now, only Einstein’s theory of space-time has tried to unify the time dimension with the other 3. By analyzing these strange new “crystals”, we may be able to better understand the possible nonlinear properties of time, and help fit it with our standard model.