Dimensional metrology

News and Updates

Back to the Future: Gear Edition

September 12, 2022

As mechanical objects, gears have been around for so long that people may take them for granted. But gears are sophisticated parts that play a vital role in

Sneezes, Rain Clouds and Ink Jets: NIST Improves the Ability of Optical Microscopes to Measure the Volume of Microdroplets

December 20, 2021

Sneezes, rain clouds, and ink jet printers: They all produce or contain liquid droplets so tiny it would take several billion of them to fill a liter bottle

As Good as it Gets: NIST Develops Its Fourth Generation Wire Micrometer that Rivals Best in the World

March 11, 2021

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a dramatically improved laser-based instrument that measures the

Projects and Programs

SI Length and Traceability

Ongoing

To enable our highest accuracy calibrations and NIST advanced research efforts, we maintain and develop methods to provide traceability to the meter via laser

Picture of PBD set up for wavelength measurement

Diffraction Metrology and Standards

Ongoing

Our objective is the development of Standard Reference Materials ( SRMs ) and quantitative, reproducible, and accurate measurement methods for characterization

Additive Manufacturing Part Qualification

Ongoing

Critical parts for defense, aerospace, and medical applications must be formally qualified prior to use. Currently, extensive empirical testing consisting of

Prototype NIST developed Next-Gen fiber probe for inspection of small critical features.

Dimensional Measurement Services

Ongoing

The Dimensional Measurement Services (DMS) project delivers unique high-accuracy length based calibrations that are essential to global trade, supports basic

Publications

Laser tracker relative range error evaluation by the back-to-back, common path single pass, and common path double pass methods

August 16, 2023

Author(s)

Marcos Motta de Souza, Bala Muralikrishnan, Vincent Lee, Daniel S. Sawyer

The Dimensional Metrology Group (DMG) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a unique 60 m long length facility that provides

Laser tracker interim testing per the ASME B89.4.19-2021 and ISO 10360-10:2021 standards

June 28, 2023

Author(s)

Marcos Motta de Souza, Bala Muralikrishnan, Vincent Lee, Daniel S. Sawyer

The recently revised ASME B89.4.19-2021 and ISO 10360-10:2021 standards for laser trackers include a new interim test that is comprehensive and more sensitive

Composition Dictates Molecular Orientation at the Heterointerfaces of Vapor-Deposited Glasses

June 23, 2023

Author(s)

Thomas Ferron, Marie Fiori, Mark Ediger, Dean DeLongchamp, Daniel Sunday

Physical vapor deposition (PVD) can prepare organic glasses with a preferred molecular orientation. The relationships between deposition conditions and

Letter to the Editor Concerning "Simultaneous, Single-Particle Measurements of Size and Loading Give Insights into the Structure of Drug-Delivery Nanoparticles"

May 23, 2023

Author(s)

Andrew Madison, Adam L. Pintar, Craig R. Copeland, Natalia Farkas, Samuel M. Stavis

Tools and Instruments

Laser Doppler Vibrometer located in 218/D012 (Group 643.09)

Laser Doppler Vibrometer Microscope

Since 2006, the Nanomechanical Properties Group has pioneered the use of Laser Doppler Vibrometry (LDV) to calibrate the stiffness of AFM cantilevers using the

Precision Imaging Facility

The Precision Imaging Facility (PIF) is a cooperative research facility at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) dedicated to the