Researchers have created a new type of time crystal called a discrete-time quasicrystal, which could have applications in high-precision sensing and advanced signal processing. Led by Chong Zu at Washington University in St. Louis, the team used a unique driving force – a structured but nonrepeating sequence of microwave pulses – to create this exotic system.
The researchers applied this drive to an ensemble of strongly interacting spins associated with structural defects in diamond, and tracked the resulting dynamics using a laser microscope. They made three key observations: the spins formed a structured but nonrepeating pattern in time, which was long-lived and robust against external perturbations. Increasing the complexity of the quasiperiodic drive enabled the generation of more intricate patterns.
The discovery opens up new possibilities for constructing these states using alternative platforms, such as ultracold atoms or spin defects in two-dimensional materials. The findings were published in Phys. Rev. X 15, 011055 (2025).
Source: https://physics.aps.org/articles/v18/s28