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Projects/Programs

Topic Area
Displaying 326 - 350 of 469

Operando Measurements of Electrochemical (Charge-transfer) Processes

Ongoing
There are two ways to study a very fast process such as charge transfer. One can use very high-speed measurement that can follow the effect of the process, or one use a method that is sensitive only to the process itself. Either way has its weakness. Many fast measurements can follow the process

Optical Clock Atomic Structure and Theory

Ongoing
An atomic clock aims to realize the intrinsic ticking rate of an atom. This ticking rate (i.e., frequency) is associated with a transition between two quantum levels of the atom, where each level corresponds to a different configuration of the electrons around the nucleus. Atomic clocks derive their

Optical grating scatterometry

Ongoing
In the past few years, scatterometry has emerged as a method for performing linewidth and line profile metrology, especially by the semiconductor industry. The method uses a periodic target containing repetitive lines whose profile, i.e., its width, height, and shape, is to be determined. The

Yb Optical Lattice Clock

Ongoing
In recent years, optical clocks have achieved performance that is orders of magnitude beyond more traditional atomic clocks utilizing a microwave timebase. A particularly promising type of advanced optical clock is the optical lattice clock. At their heart, these systems use an ensemble of ultracold

Optical medical imaging

Ongoing
Optical medical imaging technologies proliferate in academic research and yet very few translate into the clinic. Optical techniques have high spatial and spectral resolution, lends itself to portability, and inexpensive relative to conventional imaging modalities such as MRI (Magnetic Resonance

Optical Methods for 3-D Nanostructure Metrology (Archived)

Completed
This project develops new approaches to optical microscopy based on a high magnification optical platform that samples the full 3-D scattered field. Both the semiconductor industry and the evolving nanomanufacturing sector are facing enormous challenges measuring nanometer scale features over large

Optical and Microwave Spectroscopy of Microelectronic Systems

Ongoing
Collaborations with industry leaders have led to new understanding of magnetic damping in advanced materials and replication of our magnetic metrology tools. We investigate fundamental aspects of spin transfer in materials and structures that offer improved performance in future devices such as

Optical and Microwave Waveform Synthesis

Ongoing
A typical optical frequency comb consists of thousands to millions of phase coherent modes (the "teeth" of the comb) that can all be used to synthesize precisely controlled electromagnetic waveforms. Our main research thrust in this area has been focused on the generation of microwave and millimeter

Optical and Optoelectronic Materials Characterization

Ongoing
Today's electronics have reached a point where sheer computation power has combined form and function as the key driver of large consumer markets. The demand for portable and pervasive electronics with greater functionality promises significant changes over the next decades in how society interacts

Optical Polarization Metrology

Ongoing
Electromagnetic waves are transverse. That is, besides propagating energy, they also have polarization represented by the direction of the electric field, which is constrained to lie in the plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Light rays can be characterized by a four-element Stokes

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

Optical Radiation Metrology and Standard Radiometers

Ongoing
Radiometric, radiance temperature, photometric, and color scales have been realized based on the spectral responsivity of standard detectors and radiometers. These reference responsivity scales have been transferred to other NIST calibration facilities to realize and maintain these detector-based

Optical scattering from surfaces

Ongoing
Light Scattering Ellipsometry: The polarization of scattered light can often indicate the source of that scattered light. Using Light Scattering Ellipsometry, whereby the polarization of light scattered into directions out of the plane of incidence is measured for a fixed incident polarization

Optofluidic Cytometry

Ongoing
Flow cytometers are commercial instruments that provide rapid multiparameter measurements of single cells, which makes them indispensable in basic research and clinical studies of diseases and drug therapies. Measurements of cellular attributes can include indicators of cell size and shape and well

Optomechanical Pressure Sensing

Ongoing
Measurement and control of high-vacuum pressure is important for many industrial processes, particularly semiconductor fabrication. Typical process pressure monitors are known to lose accuracy over time and so require repetitive calibration. Pressure transfer standards that support high-vacuum and

OWM Training Program: Metrology, Metrication, and More!

Ongoing
OWM offers a variety of in-person, online, and "blended" training classes and materials that provide guidance instruction on national legal metrology standards, weights and measures field inspection procedures, and laws and regulations related to packaging and labeling. OWM provides technical

Phase and Amplitude Noise Calibration Services

Ongoing
The primary responsibility of the Phase Noise Metrology Group is to develop and provide calibration services for industrial, military, and commercial organizations to support the core mission of NIST. The PM and AM noise measurements require traceability and certification of devices such as phase

Phase and Amplitude Noise Metrology

Ongoing
The group provides high-precision measurement of electromagnetic signals in the radio-frequency, microwave and optical range. These measurements include phase noise, amplitude noise and perturbations due to vibration and temperature. Such precision measurements support high-value applications such

The Photoforce Project

Ongoing
Traditional power meters measure the power of a laser beam by absorbing its energy. Radiation pressure (photon momentum) permits the measurement of a beam’s power by “absorbing” its momentum and reflecting its energy. Light reflecting from a mirror causes a force that is proportional to its optical

Photometry

Ongoing
The development of revolutionary energy-efficient solid-state lighting (SSL) products has sparked the need for new performance metrics and measurement methods to address their unique construction and operating conditions. NIST has been working closely with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Photon Absorbed-Dose-to-Water Primary Standards

Ongoing
Modeling of accumulated-dose dependence in the heat defect of H2/O2 exhibits expected peak behavior in qualitative agreement with experiment, and is being further refined for purposes of reducing the associated relative uncertainty from its present value of 0.3 %. Studies to quantify the possible

Photon Drag in Metal Films

Ongoing
The photon-drag (PD) effect is the rectified electrical current in a medium generated by radiation pressure. That is, the optical force delivered to an illuminated metal results in a measurable voltage across the film (Figure, left). For decades, this effect in metals has been understood in terms of
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