attosecond
Billionth of nanosecond
An attosecond is one quintillionth of a second—a billionth of a billionth.
Light travels only about three angstroms (roughly the width of a water molecule) in an attosecond.
The unit enables measurement of ultrafast phenomena like electron movement within atoms: attosecond laser pulses, attosecond spectroscopy.
Duration measurement system
- ultrafastExtremely rapid
- quintillionthOne part per quintillion
- durationLength of existence
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
timing · interval · resolution · clock · metrology · temporal · chronometry · unit
Negative subatomic particle
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
- laserConcentrated light device
- pulseArterial blood throb
- quantumSmallest discrete unit
atomic · orbital · ionization · spectroscopy · wave function · valence · excitation · coherence
Running naked publicly
- synchrotronCircular charged-particle accelerator
- imagingProducing visual representations
- detectorDevice that senses
- opticalOf vision or light
Processes changing substance composition
- bond breakingRupturing chemical links
- frontierEdge of settlement
- discoveryAct of finding something
- breakthroughSudden important advance
time scale
Duration measurement system
- ultrafastExtremely rapid
- quintillionthOne part per quintillion
- durationLength of existence
precision · timing · interval · resolution · clock · metrology · temporal · chronometry · unit · brevity
electron
Negative subatomic particle
quantum · atomic · orbital · ionization · spectroscopy · wave function · valence · excitation · coherence · tunneling
streaking
Running naked publicly
- synchrotronCircular charged-particle accelerator
- imagingProducing visual representations
- detectorDevice that senses
chemical reactions
Processes changing substance composition
- bond breakingRupturing chemical links
- frontierEdge of settlement
- discoveryAct of finding something
breakthrough · laboratory · experiment · publication · simulation
second, seconds, millisecond, nanosecond, microsecond, picosecond, femtosecond, centisecond