An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Measurement and Standards Laboratories Fiscal Year 1999 (1999) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Chapter 5 Physics Laboratory
Chapter 5 Physics Laboratory
Pages 89-120
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 89... ...
Chapter 5 Physics Laboratory
|
From page 90... ...
Auston, and its Vice Chair, Janet S Fender, this assessment of the fiscal year 1 999 activities of the Physics Laboratory is based on site visits by individual panel members, a formal meeting ofthe panel on March 11-12, 1999, in Boulder, Colo., and documents provided by the laboratory.
|
From page 91... ...
heard detailed presentations on two special topics: the laboratory's work in databases and measurement services, and its proposed initiative in optical technology. The Physics Laboratory plays a very active role in the NIST database portfolio, currently maintaining eight databases in the areas of fundamental constants, resonance ionization mass spectroscopy, atomic energy levels and transition probabilities, spectral line broadening, molecular data, ionizing radiation, and neutron cross sections.
|
From page 92... ...
First, Harnessing Light emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of developments in optics and optical technology. The Physics Laboratory initiative, to be successful, should have an interdisciplinary strategy, including, for example, expertise and participation from the NTST Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Science and Technology, Electronics and Electrical Engineering, and Information Technology Laboratories.
|
From page 93... ...
NIST-STRS, 31.2 33.6 excluding Competence Competence 1.9 1.6 ATP 1.8 1.8 Measurement Services 0.2 0.2 (SRM production) OAINFG/CRADA 9.5 9.9 Other Reimbursable 3.5 3.3 Total 48.1 50.4 As of January 1999, staffing for the Physics Laboratory included 204 full-time permanent positions, of which 1 72 were for technical professionals.
|
From page 94... ...
The Photon Physics Group, in collaboration with the Optical Technology Division, has established a new radiometric facility for the calibration of photodetectors in the 50 to 400 rim wavelength range. The pane!
|
From page 95... ...
The group's principal goal is to assert world leadership as a primary standard for spectral irradiance measurement, consistent with the mission of NIST. Because of its low energy, SURF also fills a special niche in the nation's portfolio of synchrotron radiation facilities.
|
From page 96... ...
1 Total 5.4 6.4 As of January 1999, staffing for the Electron and Optical Physics Division included 23 full-time permanent positions, of which 20 were for technical professionals. There were also three nonpermanent and supplemental personnel, such as postdoctoral research associates and part-time workers.
|
From page 97... ...
The Atomic Spectroscopy Group has also begun a modest program to critically evaluate the accuracy of some of the large atomic databases created outside of NIST that are used to calculate opacities needed in the theoretical modeling of the interiors of the sun and stars. The evaluation has begun with Fe ~ and Fe Il.
|
From page 98... ...
The scientific and commercial exploitation of such new capabilities has created a need for orderof-magnitude improvements in the accuracy of data for spectral transitions in a wide-ranging variety of atoms and ions. There is a demonstrable need for the NIST atomic data evaluation, compilation, and atomic spectroscopy durations to grow and evolve in order to keep pace with growing and evolving demands for data and services, but core staff in these areas is aging and has had significant attrition.
|
From page 99... ...
The group has made important contributions to the detailed study of the fields near the tip of the NSOM probes, and these have had considerable impact on experiments in the Optical Technology Division. This is one of many examples of collaboration across divisional lines.
|
From page 100... ...
The group currently has four full-time PhDlevel staff, each with different focus, augmented by two postdoctoral research associates, two full-time technicians, and a variety of short-term guest researchers. The group is doing a number of significant projects on plasma radiation and industrial plasma processing standards, the physics of highly charged ions, atomic spectroscopy of these ions, ion-surface interactions, and nanotechnology.
|
From page 101... ...
A second company, the leading manufacturer of excimer lasers for deep-ultraviolet lithography in the manufacture of densely integrated circuit chips, used the NIST HST/GHRS platinum spectrum to detect large systematic errors in previous calibrations of a laser wavemeter being used to measure the wavelength and stability of ArF lasers under development. The Atomic Spectroscopy and the Plasma Radiation Groups have recently brought on line two Fourier transform spectrometers (FTSs)
|
From page 102... ...
There were also 12 nonpermanent and supplemental personnel, such as postdoctoral research associates and parttime workers. Optical Technology Division Division Mission According to division documentation, the mission of the Optical Technology Division is to provide high-quality national measurement standards and support services to advance the use and application of optical technologies spanning the UV through microwave spectral regions for use by diverse customers in industry, government, and academia.
|
From page 103... ...
The division also has research programs to develop optical and spectroscopic tools for future applications in industrial and environmental processes. These tools include a Fourier transform microwave (FTMV)
|
From page 104... ...
to replace the freezing point of gold as the basis for the spectral irradiance and radiance temperature scales. The spectral irradiance of sources such as FEL lamps used as working standards can be directly assigned by comparison to the HTTB.
|
From page 105... ...
It also provides measurement and calibration services for the absolute spectral responsivities of optical detectors in the spectral region from 200 rim through the TR and performs research and development work on new detectors for applications in radiometry, photometry, calorimetry, and spectrophotometry. Its principal facilities include the highaccuracy cryogenic radiometer (HACR)
|
From page 106... ...
Here, laser sources covering the full spectral range at power levels as high as ~ W are available for calibration services. STRCUS will be the preeminent spectral irradiance and radiance calibration facility in the world and will make calibrations of detectors over a continuous spectral range from 200 nm to the far IR possible.
|
From page 107... ...
Activities are focused on emerging technologies in the microwave, TR, and UV spectral regions. Principal facilities include a Fourier transform microwave (FTMW)
|
From page 108... ...
Impact of Programs In general, the efforts by the Optical Technology Division continue to meet the needs of U.S. industry and its scientific communities.
|
From page 109... ...
4. Taking advantage of research roarlmaps such as the National Research Council report Harnessing Light: Optical Science and Engineeringfor the 21st Century to aggressively pursue new research opportunities in optical technology.
|
From page 110... ...
NIST-STRS, 5.3 5.3 excluding Competence Competence 0.6 1.0 ATP 1.0 1.0 Measurement Services 0.1 0.1 (SRM production) OA/NFG/CRADA 3.7 3.7 Other Reimbursable 0.5 0.6 Total 1 1.2 1 1.7 As of January ~ 999, staffing for the Optical Technology Division included 44 full-time permanent positions, of which 40 were for technical professionals.
|
From page 111... ...
Through the Neutron Interactions and Dosimetry Group, NIST continues to strongly participate in the determination of neutron cross sections and the evaluation of neutron interaction data for the Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF)
|
From page 112... ...
Evaluation of new high-energy fission cross sections in MU, MU, and 208Bi are proceeding in the context of the ENDF effort and the International Atomic Energy Agency. This is an international effort with excellent dissemination and widely used by the scientific community.
|
From page 113... ...
The Radioactivity Group develops, maintains, and disseminates radioactivity standards, develops and applies radioactivity measurements and techniques, and engages in research on radiation interactions and nuclear decay schemes to meet the requirements for new standards. The panel examined the group's efforts in radionuclide metrology, development of standards for nuclear medicine and environmental monitoring, calibration services, and basic research for new standards.
|
From page 114... ...
OA/NFG/CRADA 1.5 1.7 Other Reimbursable 0.8 0.8 Total 6.9 7.3 As of January ~ 999, staffing for the Ionizing Radiation Division included 36 full-time permanent positions, of which 32 were for technical professionals. There were also six nonpermanent arid supplemental personnel, such as postdoctoral research associates and parttime workers.
|
From page 115... ...
industry and science through provision of measurement services and research in time and frequency and related technology. To fulfill this mission, the division engages in the development and operation of standards of time and frequency and their coordination with other world standards; the development of optical frequency standards supporting wavelength and length metrology; the provision of time and frequency services to the United States; and basic and applied research in support of future standards, dissemination services, and measurement methods.
|
From page 116... ...
It also has effective means of both frequency and time dissemination and research and development directed towards new, much higher performance standards in both the optical and microwave frequency ranges. Some of this work is important to the development of commercial frequency standards, which are widely used in time-scale generation in national standards laboratories.
|
From page 117... ...
This wall provide strong confinement for a linear array of ions, which is very desirable for both frequency standards and quantum logic. The division continues to investigate correlated states.
|
From page 118... ...
Although the methods promise possible improvement for studies of plasma crystallization, the most significant practical implication is for future frequency standards. The uncertainty of the second-order Doppler shift for ions stored with this new technique can be greatly reduced compared with that in a conventional Penning trap.
|
From page 119... ...
There were also 10 nonpermanent and supplemental personnel, such as postdoctoral research associates and parttime workers.
|
From page 120... ...
The laboratory's planned initiative in optical technology should have a significant interdisciplinary component, involving substantial participation by other NIST laboratories.
|
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.