About

It is considered the most precise timekeeping device currently available, with an error margin of only a few nanoseconds per day. Atomic clocks are used in various fields, including navigation systems, telecommunications, and scientific research. Their accuracy relies on the predictable behavior of atoms, particularly the frequency at which they oscillate between different energy states. The first atomic clock was developed in the 1950s, and since then, several generations of atomic clocks have been developed, each more accurate than the previous one. Today, the most accurate atomic clocks are caesium atomic clocks and optical atomic clocks, which use transitions in caesium and laser-cooled trapped ions respectively. These clocks serve as the primary timekeeping standards, and they are used to define the International System of Units (SI) second. The Wikipedia page on atomic clocks provides comprehensive information about their history, types, operation principles, and applications.