An attosecond is an SI unit of time equal to 10-18 of a second. (one quintillionth of a second).[1]
The word "attosecond" is formed by the prefix atto and the unit second. Atto- was made from the Danish word for eighteen (atten).[2] Its symbol is as.
In ratio, one attosecond is to one second what one second is to the age of the universe.[3][4]
An attosecond is equal to 1000 zeptoseconds, or 1/1000th 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:
- 1 attosecond – the time it takes for light to travel the length of three hydrogen atoms.[5]
- 1 attosecond – estimated time it takes for an atomic nucleus to recoil.[5]
- 24 attoseconds – the time taken for an electron to travel from one side of a hydrogen atom to the other.[6]
- 80 attoseconds – the shortest pulses of laser light yet created.[7]
- 100 attoseconds (approximately) – record for shortest time interval measured as of February 2004.[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.[5]
- 320 attoseconds – estimated time it takes electrons to transfer between atoms.[9]
References
- ^ http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=attosecond&sub=Search+WordNet&o2=&o0=1&o7=&o5=&o1=1&o6=&o4=&o3=&h=
- ^ http://www.wordinfo.info/words/index/info/view_unit/246
- ^ http://www.photonics.com/content/news/2008/February/28/90764.aspx
- ^ http://steacie.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/personal/corkum/atto5_e.html
- ^ a b c Akbari, Ali (July 22, 2008). "Quantum Optimal Control of High-Harmonic Generation from Molecular Systems". http://nano-bio.ehu.es/files/ali.pdf.
- ^ http://www.physorg.com/news125146806.html
- ^ http://technology.newscientist.com/channel/tech/dn14172-fastestever-flashgun-captures-image-of-light-wave.html?feedId=online-news_rss20
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3486160.stm
- ^ http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7700
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