Scientists create first visible "time crystal" using smartphone display technology
Physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder have achieved a groundbreaking milestone in materials science by creating the first visible time crystal using liquid crystals similar to those found in smartphone screens. Published on September 4 in Nature Materials, the research reveals a phase of matter that exists in perpetual motion, akin to an eternal clock ticking without requiring any energy input.
Harnessing light to create order
The research team, led by graduate student Hanqing Zhao and Professor Ivan Smalyukh, developed glass cells containing rod-shaped liquid crystal molecules, which exhibit properties of both solids and liquids. When exposed to specific wavelengths of light, these molecules spontaneously arrange themselves into dynamic patterns resembling "psychedelic tiger stripes" under a microscope. Remarkably, these patterns persist in motion for hours.
A key innovation lies in the formation of "kinks" localized distortions in the molecular arrangement that act like particles. According to research reported by Bioengineer.org, when dye molecules on the glass surfaces react to light, they mechanically manipulate the liquid crystals, creating thousands of these kink-like particles. These particles interact in complex, choreographed sequences, resembling "a ballroom filled with partners constantly parting and reuniting."
From theory to visible reality
Time crystals were first theorized in 2012 by Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek as structures that break temporal symmetry, forming patterns that repeat in time instead of space. Unlike traditional spatial crystals, such as diamonds, where atoms form repeating patterns in three-dimensional space, time crystals exhibit periodic motion in the time dimension.
Previous demonstrations of time crystals required extreme conditions or advanced quantum computers. In 2021, physicists used Google’s Sycamore quantum processor to create discrete time crystals by inducing periodic atomic oscillations with laser pulses. However, these systems remained largely theoretical and invisible to direct observation.
Practical applications on the horizon
The visible time crystals developed by the Colorado team unlock potential applications that were previously unattainable. Researchers suggest these materials could revolutionize anti-counterfeiting measures by introducing "temporal watermarks" patterns that become visible when illuminated and are nearly impossible to replicate. Additionally, by stacking multiple layers of time crystals, engineers might create unprecedented data storage systems capable of encoding information in both space and time.
What sets these time crystals apart is their exceptional stability. As reported by the University of Colorado Boulder, the patterns remain intact even when environmental conditions, such as temperature, are altered. This robustness is a hallmark of true time crystals.
This research bridges fundamental physics and material engineering, as Zhao and Smalyukh highlight that creating these time crystals requires only modest conditions simply illuminating prepared liquid crystal samples. The accessibility of this approach could accelerate the development of real-world applications and inspire further exploration of this exotic state of matter.
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