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Material Measurement Laboratory /Materials Measurement Science Division

Microscopy and Microanalysis Research Group

Performs research and develops metrology to advance, promote and ensure robust and quantitative microscopy and microanalysis to address stakeholder needs in diverse areas of materials science. Electron, ion, and photon interactions with matter are used to enable the compositional, structural, and morphological characterization of materials from the mesoscale to the atomic scale.

Activities

Blue rectangle with green line through it. Electron Solid Interaction Illustration.

Electron-Solid Interactions

Ongoing
A measuring instrument produces a signal that depends upon the value of the measurand. The value and its uncertainty are inferred from the signal by using a model of their relationship. Erroneous models lead to erroneous inference. The accuracy of SEM (scanning electron microscopy) is limited by

Electronic Structure and Dynamics in Quantum Materials

Ongoing
Photoemission-based methods that interrogate solid state electronic structure have played a pivotal role in identifying and understanding key features of emerging materials. Band structure information from Angle-Resolved PhotoEmission Spectroscpy (ARPES) provided the first evidence for the d-wave
MNP Metrology Program

Microplastic and Nanoplastic Metrology

Ongoing
The Micro and Nanoplastic (MNP) Metrology Project aims to develop a toolbox of methods for size-based separations from complex matrices, chemical characterization protocols, and test materials necessary to enable quantification of micro- and nano-sized plastic particles, a need articulated by our

Pushing the Limits of Measurement Accuracy in Atom Probe Mass Spectrometry

Ongoing
Isotopic Analysis for Isotopic Geochemistry, Nuclear Safety, and Materials Science : Atom probe tomography has a significant advantage over other forms of mass spectrometry, which typically have a combined efficiency < 5%, in terms of ionization and detection efficiency. Commercial atom probe
Catalyst Testbed

X-ray Testbed for Breakthrough Catalyst Measurements

Ongoing
Interested in collaborating? See below What does this project do for industry? Current measurement techniques are unable to follow the reaction pathways during catalysis and are limited to observing only the end products or looking at catalysts outside of realistic reaction conditions. Our new

Publications

Ranging Atom Probe Spectra to Reduce Measurement Bias

Author(s)
Frederick Meisenkothen, David Newton, Karen DeRocher, Mark McLean
Atom probe tomography (APT) is emerging as an essential characterization tool in a wide variety of science and engineering fields. For example, APT is helping

Software

DTSA II

NIST DTSA-II

NIST DTSA-II builds on the best available algorithms in the literature to simulate, quantify and plan energy dispersive x-ray analysis measurements.
The measured and calculated RIXS maps at the oxygen K edge of lithium peroxide

OCEAN

OCEAN is a versatile package for calculating both optical/UV and core-edge spectroscopy. It is a first-principles code based on both ground-state density

Tools and Instruments

Microcalorimeter Detector

The NIST transition edge sensor microcalorimeter is energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer capable of ~5 eV resolution over a range of energies from hundreds to

X-Ray Diffractometer

The Bruker D8 defractometer is a general purpose X-ray diffraction system. The instrument features easy reconfiguration of the X-ray optics for a variety of

Awards

Frederick Meisenkothen portrait

2022 Bronze Medal Award

Dr. Meisenkothen is honored for the development of standards-based techniques for atom probe tomography. Application of these techniques

News and Updates

Contacts

Group Leader

Office Manager

Group Safety Representative