It’s cool to be small. Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have miniaturized the optical components required to cool atoms down to a few thousandths of a degree above absolute zero, the first step in employing them on microchips to drive a new generation of super-accurate atomic clocks, enable navigation without GPS, and simulate quantum systems.
![](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/tmb/2021/bringingatom.jpg)
Source:
https://phys.org/news/2021-01-atoms-standstill-miniaturize-laser-cooling.html