Attosecond
An attosecond is 1×10−18 of a second (one quintillionth of a second).[1] For context, an attosecond is to a second what a second is to about 31.71 billion years.[2][3]
The word "attosecond" is formed by the prefix atto and the unit second. Atto- was made from the Danish word for eighteen (atten).[4] Its symbol is as.
An attosecond is equal to 1000 zeptoseconds, or 1⁄1000 of a femtosecond. Because the next higher SI unit for time is the femtosecond (10−15 seconds), durations of 10−17 s and 10−16 s will typically be expressed as tens or hundreds of attoseconds:
- (Shorter time: zeptosecond)
Times which can be expressed in attoseconds:
- 1 attosecond: the time it takes for light to travel the length of two hydrogen atoms
- 12 attoseconds: record for shortest time interval measured as of 12 May 2010[5]
- 24 attoseconds: the atomic unit of time
- 67 attoseconds: the shortest pulses of laser light yet created[6]
- 100 attoseconds: fastest ever view of molecular motion[7][8]
- 200 attoseconds (approximately): half-life of beryllium-8, maximum time available for the triple-alpha process for the synthesis of carbon and heavier elements in stars
- 320 attoseconds: estimated time it takes electrons to transfer between atoms.[9][10]
- (Longer time: femtosecond)
See also
References
- ↑ "attosecond". Memidex/WordNet Dictionary/Thesaurus. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
- ↑ Electron Motion Filmed, 28 Feb. 2008
- ↑ Exploring "Attosecond" Time. Visualising an Attosecond... How short is an attosecond?
- ↑ atto- [A toh] (Danish or Norwegian: eighteen; a decimal prefix used in the international metric system for measurements). Wordinfo.info (2007-04-05). Retrieved on 2011-01-23.
- ↑ "12 attoseconds is the world record for shortest controllable time". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05.
- ↑ Watching Quantum Mechanics in Action: Researchers Create World Record Laser Pulse – 4 September 2012 – ScienceDaily. www.ScienceDaily.com. Retrieved on 2012-09-04.
- ↑ "Fastest view of molecular motion". BBC. 2006.
- ↑ Baker, S.; Robinson, J. S.; et al. (2 March 2006). "Probing Proton Dynamics in Molecules on an Attosecond Time Scale". Science. 312 (5772): 424–427. doi:10.1126/science.1123904.
- ↑ Merali, Zeeya (20 July 2005). "Electron timed hopping between atoms". New Scientist. Archived from the original on 2016-05-11.
- ↑ Föhlisch, A.; Feulner, P.; et al. (21 July 2005). "Direct observation of electron dynamics in the attosecond domain". Nature. 436 (7049): 373–376. doi:10.1038/nature03833.
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