An intended by - product of the 17th CGPM 's definition was that it enabled scientists to compare lasers accurately using frequency , resulting in wavelengths with one - fifth the uncertainty involved in the direct comparison of wavelengths .
Interferometer errors were eliminated .
An intended by - product of the 17th CGPM 's definition was that it enabled scientists to compare lasers accurately using frequency , resulting in wavelengths with one - fifth the uncertainty involved in the direct comparison of wavelengths , because interferometer errors were eliminated .