An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Programs Fiscal Year 1993 (1994) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
4 ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
4 ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
Pages 29-64
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 29... ...
Stiliman, this assessment of the fiscal year 1993 activities of the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory is based on site visits by individual panel members, a formal meeting of the panel on May 5-7, 1993, in Boulder, Colorado, and the annual report of the laboratory. LABORATORY OVERVIEW Mission The mission of the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory (KEEL)
|
From page 30... ...
Strategy KEEL's goal is to be the world's best source of fundamental and industrial reference measurement methods and physical standards for electrotechnology. To achieve this goal and to obtain optimum leverage in the context of NIST's mission, KEEL stresses the provision of measurement infrastructure rather than the development of generic technology.
|
From page 31... ...
KEEL's distribution of STRS funding among its divisions remains a matter of concern to the panel and KEEL management. For example, STRS funding provides only 32 percent of the Electromagnetic Fields Division's total budget.
|
From page 32... ...
ASSES SMENT OF DIVI S ION PROGRA1! ~[S The KEEL consists of the Electricity Division and the Semiconductor Electronics Division, located at Gaithersburg, Maryland; the Electromagnetic Fields Division and the Electromagnetic Technology Division, located at Boulder, Colorado; and the Office of Microelectronics Programs and the Office of Law Enforcement Standards, located in Gaithersburg (Figure 4.1~.
|
From page 33... ...
. Division Applied Microwave Optical Materials Electrical Metrology Electronic Technology Measurements Metrology Broadband Device Electronic Microwave Cryoelectronic Technology Instrumentation Metrology Metrology and Metrology Integrated Ant Anna and Superconductor Circuits Electrical Materials and Magnetic Technology Reference Metrology Measurements Standards Fundamental Electrical Measurements Fields and Interference Metrology FIGURE 4.1 Organization and structure of NIST's Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory.
|
From page 34... ...
; determines fundamental physical constants related to electrical units; develops and evaluates measurement methods and services to support electrical materials, components, instruments, and systems used for the generation, transmission, and detection of conducted electrical signals and energy; conducts research and develops measurement and calibration methods and measuring instruments for use in the laboratory, on the production line, in the marketplace, and in the field; develops numerical data required for understanding the fundamental electrical phenomena and for the application and specification of electrical systems and their components and for the interpretation of resulting measurements; disseminates and fosters application of the research and development outputs for the marketplace exchange of electrical and electronic components, modules, and instruments, and for the enhancement of performance and reliability of the systems in which they are applied; assists in applying scientific and technological development to measurement problems in industry, science, and other areas of NIST research; and in certain areas, such as digital imaging and product description in digital form, develops and provides the technical base in support of consensus standards. Pane1's Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations -- Fiscal Year 1993 Division Funding.
|
From page 35... ...
The Electrical Reference Standards Group maintains national physical standards for electrical measurement, provides measurement services for basic electrical units, and develops stable standards and measurement methods for dissemination of electrical units. The group develops standards for and calibrates instruments for measuring direct current (do)
|
From page 36... ...
ac-dc Difference Standards and Measurement Techniques. The Electrical Reference Standards Group finished the design of and fabricated eight newly conceived thin-film micropotentiometers.
|
From page 37... ...
Work currently under way in the Fundamental Electrical Measurements Group, as well as the Cryoelectronic Metrology Group in the Electromagnetic Technology Division at NIST Boulder, may lead to quantum standards for capacitance and for current that are similar to those already developed for voltage and resistance. Status and Progress.
|
From page 38... ...
Also, research on the use of high-temperature superconductors for Josephson junctions could lead to junctions that operate at liquid-nitrogen temperatures. Research on quantum standards in the Fundamental Electrical Measurements Group could lead to a quantum-based kilogram, thus removing the last of the artifacts from the primary standards.
|
From page 39... ...
Committee membership should include staff from the Fundamental Electrical Measurements Group, the Cryoelectronic Metrology Group, and the Time and Frequency Division of the Physics Laboratory, as well as from NIST's Standard Reference Data Program and the division's Precision Measurement Grant Program, and should establish a working subgroup for the maintenance of the fundamental constants. An annual report should highlight progress made in the research and instrumentation and publicize Precision Measurement Grant selections and results.
|
From page 40... ...
that are new program areas. The Applied Electrical Measurements Group is evolving from its basic role of developing theory, methods, and physical standards of primary interest to the electrical utility industry, to the broadened role of incorporating video standards, product data exchange, electronic commerce, and electrical metrology for the automotive industry.
|
From page 41... ...
The Applied Electrical Measurements Group and its projects should develop contingency plans. Electronic Instrumentation and Metrology Group Measurements for Complex Electronic Systems.
|
From page 42... ...
Semiconductor Electronics Division Mission The Semiconductor Electronics Division develops and evaluates measurement methods, data, reference artifacts, models and theory, and associated technology to remove market barriers associated with the use of semiconductor materials and with the design, fabrication, characterization, and performance assurance of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. The division conducts research in semiconductor materials and processes, devices, and integrated circuits to provide, through both experimental and theoretical work, the necessary basis for understanding measurement-related requirements in semiconductor technology.
|
From page 43... ...
Strategic Planning Issues -- Compound Semiconductors. In fiscal year 1992, the panel reported that, although the molecular beam epitaxy work was off to a good start in having produced successful laser diodes and quantum Hall structures, the III-V semiconductor work Jacked a customer-focused strategic plan (An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Programs, Fiscal Year 1992, p.
|
From page 44... ...
Molecular Beam Epitaxy Growth Technology. The Semiconductor Electronics Division has stated that molecular beam epitaxy is needed in-house to support the development of measurement tools.
|
From page 45... ...
Electrical Characterization. The spreading resistance methodology developed in the Semiconductor Electronics Division has progressed, and the standard reference materials that have been certified provide a technical advantage for evaluating the scanning capacitance probe.
|
From page 46... ...
Molecular beam epitaxy and chemical beam epitaxy efforts in the Semiconductor Electronics Division and the Electromagnetic Technology Division are well aligned with interests of the technical community, but long-term goals are poorly defined relative to the 1993 SIA workshop report. Recommendation.
|
From page 47... ...
There is no wide consensus within the semiconductor industry about the future of and the need for compound semiconductor technology. The proposed development of magnetotransport measurements and theory for calculating properties for compound semiconductors is useful.
|
From page 48... ...
Device Modelinge The Semiconductor Electronics Division's device-modeling activity has been limited to a narrowly focused niche, i.e., the insulated gate bipolar transistor. There is a need in the Si integrated circuit industry for standardized circuit simulation models for mainstream complementary metal oxide semiconductor and bipolar complementary oxide semiconductor devices.
|
From page 49... ...
Electromagnetic Fields Division Mission The Electromagnetic Fields Division conducts basic and applied research on the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with devices and materials in order to improve measurement services. Development and evaluation of measurement methods and standards needed to characterize the mechanisms and output of electromagnetic sources, receivers, and other passive and active devices are emphasized.
|
From page 50... ...
Research is under way to develop measurement methods and standards that wild support the expected growth in monolithic microwave integrated circuit and millimeter wave technologies. The Broadband Microwave Metrology Group develops techniques and standards for measuring noise and the dielectric properties of materials.
|
From page 51... ...
70~. The Electromagnetic Fields Division has reorganized, reduced its staff, and downsized projects (as outlined in the draft copy of "Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory 1993 Program Plan -- Supporting Technology for U.S.
|
From page 52... ...
Directions for Microwave Calibration. Standards for characterizing microwave integrated circuits and materials measurements seem to be more critical than further improvements in coaxial and waveguide standards.
|
From page 53... ...
With the development and implementation of automobile collision-avoidance systems, near-object avoidance systems, smart highways, and wireless communications will come heavy demands by industry for methods of measuring and establishing standards for its products. Electromagnetic Technology Division Mission The Electromagnetic Technology Division develops measurement techniques and standards and provides calibration services, measurement assurance programs, and reference data for laser and fiber-optic metrology and for engineering applications of superconductivity and magnetics.
|
From page 54... ...
Resources The Electromagnetic Technology Division consists of three research groups: Optical Electronic Metrology, Cryoelectronic Metrology, and Superconductor and Magnetic Measurements. There are 99 total paid staff members, with 75 professionals (47 PhDs)
|
From page 55... ...
The Cryoelectronic Metrology Group applies the unique properties of superconductors, particularly the Josephson effect, to the development of measurement techniques, devices, and standards of superior accuracy, sensitivity, and performance for fundamental metrology and for measurements of fast electrical waveforms and weak electromagnetic signals. An important part of the effort is the investigation of possible new fundamental quantum mechanical standards, e.g., the phenomenon of single electron counting as the basis for current and capacitance standards.
|
From page 56... ...
Recommendation. The Cryoelectronic Metrology Group should continue its current competence building project under core funding.
|
From page 57... ...
The Superconductor and Magnetic Measurements Group has established a well-focused magnetic recording research program, especially considering the limited financial support for the effort. Research is currently under way in recording media and heads.
|
From page 58... ...
Furthermore, the group should acquire a spinstand, i.e., a magnetic recording system, that can record any desired bit pattern ranging from isolated bits to complicated patterns. Optical Electronic Metrology Group.
|
From page 59... ...
Precision measurement research for fibers and ferrules should continue to be coordinated within the relevant Telecommunications Industry Association fiber optics subcommittees in which U.S. industry actively participates.
|
From page 60... ...
Representatives of the Optical Electronic Metrology Group should participate in Telecommunications Industry Association Fiber Optics committee work on setting branching component measurement standards. Laser Power and Energy Measurements.
|
From page 61... ...
The panel endorses the development of chemical beam epitaxy growth technology for fabrication of materials and devices relevant to the measurement techniques, standards, calibration services, and reference data for lasers, detectors, and fiber-optic metrology missions of the division and KEEL. In guided-wave optics, the project's measurement and modeling of amplifiers and lasers have attracted significant industrial interest.
|
From page 62... ...
Some potential measurement topics of the Optical-Fiber Sensors project overlap those of the project for Optical Fiber Measurement Systems and Standards. A decision will be necessary on where to place these projects when the Optical Electronic Metrology Group becomes a division.
|
From page 63... ...
superior optical-fiber sensor techniques comes primarily from outside resources. (nonelectronic)
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.