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Physical Measurement Laboratory /Quantum Measurement Division

Fundamental Electrical Measurements Group

The Fundamental Electrical Measurements group provides the foundation of the nation's infrastructure through measurement services in the general areas of resistance and impedance and related quantities. As part of its mission, the group maintains an active research program in precision measurements based on fundamental constants and in the development of quantum electrical standards.

The FEM group uses physical laws, quantum invariants, and ultra-precision measurement techniques to create and refine a core set of experiments used as the US national standards for the ohm and farad. Based on the defining constants of the new SI, FEM researchers provide the fundamental traceability of the SI units through the exact values of quantum electrical constants. The group strives to improve the accessibility, reliability, precision, accuracy, and range of values that can be achieved and disseminated from each standard by advancing the state of the art in optical, mechanical, and, of course, electrical systems used in the realization of these units.

News and Updates

flexures animated gid

Mass Revolution: Kibble Balances for All

NIST is working on a big project in a small package. When you want to weigh something – anything – in the United States, whether it’s a truck full of cargo or a

Projects and Programs

Schematic of digital impedance bridge.

Farad and Impedance Metrology

Ongoing
The primary facility for connecting the U.S. legal system of electrical units to the international system of units is the NIST calculable capacitor, with which the measurement of capacitance is effectively achieved through a measurement of length. Both the calculable capacitor and the chain of high
metrology of the ohm team

Metrology of the Ohm

Ongoing
The Metrology of the Ohm Project has been a leader in providing internationally consistent resistance standards that are readily available to support the scientific and industrial foundations of the U.S. economy. Through this very broad customer base, the activities of the project enable cost
A magnon, or spin wave, in a 1D chain. Credit: Sean Kelley/NIST

Optical Probes of 2D Magnetic Phenomena

Ongoing
The unique measurement capabilities developed in this Project enable diffraction-limited, optical spectra (both Raman and photoluminescence) to be collected and analyzed as a function of laser energy, polarization, temperature, magnetic field, and device parameters such as current load and back
NIST-4

Precision Electro-Mechanical Experiments (PREME)

Ongoing
NIST-4 Kibble Balance Previously called ‘the Electronic Kilogram’ Project, a major component of PREME is the realization of SI unit of mass, the kilogram, using the NIST-4 Kibble balance, the fourth generation of Kibble balances at NIST. This is accomplished through a high-accuracy comparison of

Publications

Awards

Jon Pratt Elected ASPE Fellow

Election to the ASPE College of Fellows is a highly prestigious honor that is intended to recognize and honor those exceptional members of

Press Coverage

Contacts

Group Leader