Breakthrough Chinese crystal advances nuclear clocks for GPS-free navigation

Chinese researchers have developed a groundbreaking crystal capable of enabling ultra-precise nuclear clocks, a leap that could revolutionize navigation in GPS-denied environments like deep space or underwater. The fluorinated borate compound allows lasers to emit light at a record-breaking 145.2 nanometres, surpassing the previous 150nm barrier of older materials. This new capability aligns with the stringent wavelength requirements essential for nuclear clocks, which rely on thorium atoms and