An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Programs Fiscal Year 1994 (1994) / Chapter Skim
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5 Physics Laboratory
5 Physics Laboratory
Pages 99-150
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Chapter 5 Physics Laboratory
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This report is an assessment of the fiscal year 1994 activities of the Physics Laboratory at NIST. It is based on site visits to the laboratory by individual pane} members in March and April ~ 994, on a meeting of the filth pane!
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S industry by providing measurement services and research for electronic, optical, and radiation technology by pursuing directed research; developing new physical standarcis, measurement methods, and data; conducting an aggressive dissemination program; and collahorntin~ with in~l,,.~trv to Only its discoveries and commercialize its inventions.
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Assessment of Strategy The Physics Laboratory is organized into eight clivisions: Electron and Optical Physics, Atomic Physics, Molecular Physics, Radiometric Physics, Quantum Metrology, Ionizing Radiation, Time and Frequency, and Quantum Physics. The last two of these (livisions are located in BouIcler, Coloraclo.
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O , . ~ Assessment of Technical Programs The breadth, effectiveness, and willingness of the scientific staff of the Physics Laboratory to help U.S.
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As funding increases but staff remains capped, the Physics Laboratory should consider alliances with U.S. universities to enhance NT ST-connected new technology development with support of postdoctoral fellows and young faculty, both on-site at NIST and at their home · · ~ universities.
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recommends that the Physics Laboratory extend the 'Advanced Algorithms, Software, and Applications' proposal to include the (levelopment of on-line visualization and a state-of-the-art physics computational center to support the database effort. This extension could have a major impact on NIST's general responsibilities to provide to industry such scientific and technical data as plasma radiation data and atomic energy level data" (p.
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Industrial competitiveness requires measurement techniques at the next smallest length scale. The strategic plan of the Electron and Optical Physics Division addresses the challenge of measurement at the next smallest size.
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The collaboration that is developing between this group and the Radiometric Physics Division to connect the SURF source to the cryogenic radiometer is particularly noteworthy because of its inherent possibilities. In the near term (about 3 years)
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by this group, has been extended to new fundamental and practical applications in collaboration with Allied Signal. In particular, SEMPA is used to stub defects in magnets magnetic domains, and the performance of magnets.
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148~. A long-range plan for SURF IT has been devised by the Electron and Optical Physics and Radiometric Physics Divisions, in consultation with the NIST deputy director.
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Resources Fiscal year 1994 funding for the Atomic Physics Division is estimated at $4.7 million, of which $3.7 million is from SIRS. The division currently has 19 technical staff end 5 postdoctoral fellows and was host to 25 guest researchers in fiscal year ~ 993.
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l he panel applauds the decision of the Physics Laboratory director to make the initial investment in the FTS. The Atomic Spectroscopy Group's contribution to industrial scientists and other researchers by providing a critically evaluated spectroscopic database deserves special mention.
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Plasma Radiation Group. The assembly and first successful operation of the NIST EBIT is a major milestone for the Plasma Radiation Group and the Atomic Physics Division.
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postdoctoral fellows and ~ ~ guest researchers. Recommendations The following are the panel's recommendations for the Atomic Physics Division.
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. Since a group in Europe has seized the lead in developing a cesium atomic fountain clock frequency standard, the Laser Cooling Group should move ahead rapidly to demonstrate a successful cesium atomic fountain clock, developing new techniques to be used by scientists in the Time and Frequency Division to produce a prototype microwave frequency standard.
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The division currently has 15 technical staff ant! 7 postdoctoral fellows and was host to 24 guest researchers in fiscal year ~ 993.
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The capability to continually upgrade and critically review molecular data must be · ~ maintainer .. Assessment of Technical Programs The Molecular Physics Division does scientific work of the highest caliber as evidenced by its numerous high-quality publications, awards, and first-of-a-kinc!
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application of this instrument in areas such as real-time analysis of exhaust gases, impurity measurements in CVD feedstock, and chemical process monitoring. Experimental bench marks for leading-edge molecular modeling are much needed.
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the quantum behavior of nanostructures. Recommendations The following are the panel's recommendations for the Molecular Physics Division.
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Radiometric Physics Division The Radiometric Physics Division clevelops, improves, and maintains the national standards and measurement techniques for radiation thermometry, spectroracliometry, photometry, and spectrophotometry; disseminates these standards by providing measurement services to customers requiring calibrations of the highest accuracy; and conducts fundamental ~,, and applied research to clevelop the scientific and technical basis for future measurement services. Strategy .
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The Radiometric Physics Division is at high risk because of the inordinate size of OA funding, which accounts for 62 percent of the budget for fiscal year ~ 994. In previous years, this funding has been used to develop and maintain such programs as the Low-Background Infrared Facility, the Imaging Radiometry project, and the High-Accuracy Cryogenic Radiometer (HACR)
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The Detector Metrology Group has built four new germanium (Ge) radiometers for detector calibration services and is currently testing a new cryogenic bolometer for use in measuring the relative spectral response in the UV and infrared scale realizations.
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1 1 1 ~ , ~ - ~ In Measurement Services, the Facility for Automated Spectroradiometric Calibrations (FASCAL) has been used to characterize a mollifier!
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has several challenges to meet, the panel recommends that the Radiometric Physics Division prepare a detailed time line to track the various facets of the planned improvements" (p.
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recommends that the Radiometric Physics Division examine all of the scales to be integrated with the high accuracy cryogenic radiometer (HACR) and prepare a master plan to address the tasks required to achieve this objective, associated funding required, and the proposed time line for completion" (p.
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Resources Fiscal year 1994 funding for the Quantum Metrology Division is estimated at $2.2 million, of which $~.7 million is from STRS. The division currently has seven technical staff end one postdoctoral fellow and hosted eight guest researchers in fiscal year 1993.
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by the Atomic Physics Division, and measurements were done in collaboration with a group from the Naval Research Laboratory. Spectra from isolated atoms and ions provide the builcling block for understanding clusters of condensed atoms, atoms on surfaces, and atoms in the solid state, the basis of all materials science.
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produces highly accurate standard reference data for ionizing radiation and radioactive materials; provides stan~iarct reference materials, calibrations, and measurement quality assurance services to users such as hospitals, industry, states, ant! other federal agencies; develops measurement methods and technology for use by the radiation processing industry, health care industry, nuclear electric power industry, environmental technology, and radiation-using industrial applications; ant!
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. The Ionizing Radiation Division shouic!
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The group, division, and laboratory should also support ~1 ~ and nurture interactions with the Council for Ionizing Radiation Measurement Standards (CIRMS) to define and evaluate programs more clearly.
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Support and appropriate reporting structure need to be formulated by the division chief. It is the panel's impression that the Office of Radiation Measurement is an important element in fulfilling the potential needs of the industrial, technical, medical, and environmental communities in the areas of radiation measurement quality assurance and stan(lardization, but the division needs to put in 130
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General program areas are too broad to be carried out by the existing and shrinking permanent scientific staff. The ionizing Radiation Division must define its programs more specifically.
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. "In view of the Ionizing Radiation Division chiefs plan to retire in June 1994, the pane!
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A numerical relationship between the frequency of NIST-7 and that of the resonance of a trapped array of ions will help establish longterm credibility in the assessment of systematic frequency offsets in the NIST-7 frequency stanciarct. Work on an advanced version of the cesium atomic fountain clock in the Atomic Physics Division is in progress, and NIST should soon be able to catch up with, and overtake, the European group that currently has a cesium atomic fountain clock in operation.
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S industry, and the Time and Frequency Division will likely play a strong role in this important work.
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ATTACHMENT: BIENNIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE PROGRAMS OF THE JOINT INSTITUTE FOR LABORATORY ASTROPHYSICS The following biennial assessment of the fiscal year 1 994 activities of the loins Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics is based on a site visit and meeting of the subpane} on January 27 and 2S, ~ 994, and on the annual report of the Quantum Physics Division of the Physics Laboratory. Members of the subpane!
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The NIST component of ALA is primarily in the Quantum Physics Division (QPD) of the Physics Laboratory, except for one senior scientist from the Time and Frequency Division.
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Quantum Physics Division The following is the function statement for the Quantum Physics Division from Department of Commerce administrative orders: Engages in long-term, high-risk research in quantum physics and related areas such as atomic and molecular collisions, spectroscopy and radiative interactions, chemical physics, optical and laser physics, gravitational physics, geophysical measurements, radiative transfer, and solar physics; performs basic, highly accurate measurements ant! theoretical analyses in these areas essential to the foundations of the Nation's science and technology; develops the laser as a refined measurement tool; applies state-of-the-art methocis to measurements and tests of the fundamental postulates and natural constants of physics; engages in research in atomic, molecular, and chemical physics leacling to the determination of key techniques and data essential to unclerstanding, predicting, and controlling the properties of excited and ionized gases and the pathways of chemical processes; improves the theory and instrumentation required for measurements of astrophysical and geophysical quantities such as the cosmic distance scale, earth's gravity, and terrestrial distances; maintains, through its association with the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (~LA)
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Assessment of Mission and Strategy Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics The missions ant! strategies discusser!
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Assessment of Programs Institutional Components JILA is a complex organization in which a number of identifiable groups are intermixed in a symbiotic relationship. In addition to the JILA fellows, there are visiting fellows, postdoctoral associates, graduate students, undergraduates, and technical and administrative support staff.
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Techniques for measuring and reducing small accelerations at low frequencies can be used for vibration isolation in equipment to manufacture and characterize semiconductor devices and to remove limitations in position measurements applied to small separations between individual elements of complex semiconductor devices. Other recent work may lead to the development and application of transportable phase stable lasers with very high spectral purity, tunability, and low cost for intercomparison of optical frequency standards for optical frequency clocks.
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Interaction between the Atomic Physics Program and the Optical Physics Program has been especially fruity! in the 2 years since the subpanel's previous assessment.
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JILA atomic physics researchers have played a leading role in assembling and expancling the atomic database for the magnetic fusion program. in recent years, this effort has been focused on the processes that occur in the relatively coo]
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The researchers are well integrated with related research efforts at ITLA, sharing interests with the Atomic and Optical Physics, Fundamental and Precision Measurements and Astrophysics Measurements Groups. The group is lively and vigorous, moving into new areas as scientific opportunities arise.
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The interpretation of the GONG and SOHO observations will require sophisticated theoretical modeling, and JILA scientists are making significant advances in the underlying theory of convective transport in the Sun. Simulations of convection on large scales have been carried out on a massively parallel computer.
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Industrial Interactions Embedded in JILA's ongoing work are advanced capabilities and activities that can have significant benefits to industry if the methodologies, instrumentation, and experimental and analytical procedures are suitably translated or adapted to industry's needs. Potential applications include metrology and active control to maintain the desired geometry of large space structures, active vibration isolation techniques for high-precision manufacturing equipment such as submicron lithography, and transportable phase-stable lasers for the intercomparison of optical frequency and length standards.
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Addition of a full- or part-time programmer would allow the director to concentrate on new projects and could significantly enhance the center's overall productivity. The ALA Visiting Fellows Program, supported by NIST, has a worldwide reputation for excellence.
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In recognition of this problem, IlLA is instituting a new component to the Visiting Fellows Program. Some of the pro.gram's funds will be used to host a series of industrial fellows, _ .
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. "~A should redouble efforts to recruit members of protected classes for graduate work and for its Visiting Fellows Program" (p.
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The subpane} notes with displeasure the lack of any effort by NIST and IlLA management to resolve this contradiction. The University of Colorado administration has appointed a new clean, who takes the position that industrial interactions are highly desirable.
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