Sapphire clock wins the Eureka prize!

Last night the sapphire clock, which I have worked on for the past 15 years, won one of the categories of the Australian Museum Eureka prize.

The category is DST Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia, and the prize was awarded to the Sapphire Clock Team at Adelaide University and my company Cryoclock Pty Ltd. I did not attend the Eureka prize dinner and award night due to ill health.

The following is a media release from the Australian government Minister of Defence.

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UNCLASSIFIED

Please find below a media release from the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, Minister for Defence, Leader of The House and Federal Member for Sturt.

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	OFFICE OF THE HON CHRISTOPHER PYNE MP Member for Sturt | Leader of the House | Minister for Defence Parliament House, CANBERRA ACT 2600 T: 02 6277 7840

THE HON CHRISTOPHER PYNE MP

Minister for Defence

Leader of the House

Federal Member for Sturt

 

MEDIA RELEASE

30 August 2018

ADVANCE IN TIME-KEEPING CLOCKS UP EUREKA WIN 

Technology using a pure sapphire crystal to accurately measure time has taken out the 2018 Defence Science and Technology (DST) Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia.

Minister for Defence, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today congratulated Professor Andre Luiten and his team from the University of Adelaide on developing the sapphire clock, a device so accurate it can keep time within one second over tens of millions of years.

The sapphire clock team is working closely with Defence scientists to use the technology for upgrades and enhancements to the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN).

The sapphire clock has the potential to produce the purest of signals which, when fed into JORN, could generate high quality surveillance data.

“This innovation delivers a step change in radar frequency, purity and overall performance over conventional devices giving Defence a significant capability edge,” Minister Pyne said.

“This is an example of world-leading research with a positive impact on Australia’s defence and national security.

“It is a fantastic result which will be a game-changer for Defence capability.”

The DST Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia is awarded annually for outstanding science or technology that has developed, or has potential to develop, innovative solutions for Australia’s defence or national security.

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See links

• Australian Museum Eureka Prize
• Australian Academy of Science announcement on Twitter
• Sydney Morning Herald

ABC TV Interview with Prof. Andre Luiten, Director of IPAS at University of Adelaide and my business partner in Cryoclock Pty Ltd.