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Physical Measurement Laboratory

Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division

News and Updates

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Topic Area

Nanowire Position and Orientation Precisely Controlled Using Fluid Flow

April 11, 2013

Video showing a 10 µm × 1 µm fluorescently labeled rod being controlled using a combination of electric fields and fluid flow to travel along the "NIST" path

PML Scientists Make Better SEM Imaging and Measurements in the Nano Era Possible

March 14, 2013

Since the inception of the scanning electron microscope (SEM), users have encountered the persistent problem of contamination. Cleanliness is required for

New Player in Electron Field Emitter Technology Makes for Better Imaging and Communications

March 5, 2013

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Maryland, College Park, have built a practical, high-efficiency

Temp-Controlled 'Nanopores' May Allow Detailed Blood Analysis

March 5, 2013

Tiny biomolecular chambers called nanopores that can be selectively heated may help doctors diagnose disease more effectively if recent research by a team at

Calculating Quantum Vacuum Forces in Nanostructures

February 7, 2013

One of the surprising predictions of quantum mechanics is that uncharged conductors can attract each other over small distances, even in empty space. While the

DNA and Quantum Dots: All That Glitters is Not Gold

January 24, 2013

A team of researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has shown that by bringing gold nanoparticles close to the dots and using a

Controlling Particles for Directed Self-Assembly of Colloidal Crystals

January 17, 2013

Researchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology and the Johns Hopkins University have developed a technique to reliably manipulate

NIST Patent Could Give 'Lab on a Chip' Technology Long Shelf Life

January 8, 2013

Having blood drawn and analyzed to diagnose disease is a process that can take a few days, but what if your doctor could perform this analysis in moments, right

Photons Emitted by Quantum Dots Can be Made Indistinguishable Through Quantum Frequency Conversion

December 19, 2012

An international collaboration led by researchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology has demonstrated the ability to make photons emitted

New Platform Developed to Measure and Exploit Optomechanical Interactions

December 12, 2012

Researchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology and Caltech have developed a new design platform for measuring and exploiting strong

Schematic of the disk-cantilever sensor geometry.

Researchers Develop Versatile Optomechanical Sensors for Atomic Force Microscopy

October 24, 2012

Researchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology have developed on-chip optomechanical sensors for atomic force microscopy (AFM) that

New Method Measures Movements of Tiny Devices-At Every Step

October 16, 2012

Makers of minuscule moving machines—the kind being eyed for nanomanufacturing and assembly as well as other uses—do you know where your micro- and nanorobots

False-color SEMs of cross-sectioned hematite films.

Researchers Determine Critical Factors for Improving Performance of a Solar Fuel Catalyst

October 3, 2012

Hydrogen gas that is created using solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen has the potential to be a cost-effective fuel source if the efficiency

Schematic of an artificial membrane, across which a voltage forces an ionized fluid through the nanopore.

NIST, Columbia Engineering Collaborate on Inexpensive DNA Sequencing Method

October 2, 2012

Rapid, accurate genetic sequencing soon may be within reach of every doctor's office if recent research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology

False-color scanning electron micrograph of a nanophotonic motion sensor.

A Fast and Sensitive Nanophotonic Motion Sensor Developed for Silicon Microdevices

September 19, 2012

Using a microscopic optical sensor that can be batch-fabricated on a silicon chip at low cost, Researchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and

SEM image of the waveguide cross-section of the low-noise frequency converter

CNST Researchers Demonstrate Low-Noise, Chip-Based Optical Wavelength Converter

September 5, 2012

Researchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology have demonstrated a low-noise device for changing the wavelength of light using

A microfluidic lab on a chip device sitting on a polystyrene dish.

NIST Focuses on Testing Standards to Support Lab on a Chip Commercialization

August 8, 2012

Lab on a chip (LOC) devices—microchip-size systems that can prepare and analyze tiny fluid samples with volumes ranging from a few microliters (millionth of a

Researchers Track Nanoparticle Dynamics in Three Dimensions

August 1, 2012

Researchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology have used three-dimensional single-particle tracking to measure the dynamic behavior of

MEMS Reference Material: Tiny Dimensions, Big Impact

July 23, 2012

Over the past two decades, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have become ubiquitous, with applications in cell phones, ink-jet printers, accelerometers and

Hark! Group Demonstrates First Heralded Single Photon Source Made from Silicon

June 27, 2012

In an important step towards more practical quantum information processing, researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the

Micromechanical Mirror Performs Under Pressure...Of Light

April 6, 2012

A team of scientists from PML's Quantum Measurement Division has designed and tested a novel device [1] that may lead to substantial progress in the new and

'Nanoslinky': A Novel Nanofluidic Technology for DNA Manipulation and Measurement

March 20, 2012

Remember Slinky®, the coiled metal spring that "walks" down stairs with just a push, momentum and gravity? Researchers at the National Institute of Standards

Nanopower: Avoiding Electrolyte Failure in Nanoscale Lithium Batteries

March 20, 2012

It turns out you can be too thin—especially if you're a nanoscale battery. Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the

The Shape of Things to Come: NIST Probes the Promise of Nanomanufacturing Using DNA Origami

March 6, 2012

In recent years, scientists have begun to harness DNA's powerful molecular machinery to build artificial structures at the nanoscale using the natural ability

NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology Researchers Efficiently Couple Light from a Plane Wave into a Surface Plasmon Mode

February 1, 2012

Researchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology have made a grating coupler that transmits over 45 % of the incident optical energy from a

Advanced communications
-Open Radio Access Network (Open-RAN)
-Quantum communications
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Bioscience
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--Biological data
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-Cell measurements
-Engineering / synthetic biology
--Biofabrication
--Cell-free systems
--Genome engineering
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-Gene delivery systems
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Buildings and Construction
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Chemistry
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Electronics
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Energy
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Environment
-Air / water / soil quality
-Climate Measurements
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Fire
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Forensic Science
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Health
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Information technology
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--Agility and adaptability
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Materials
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Mathematics and statistics
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Metrology
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Nanotechnology
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--Lithography
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Neutron research
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Physics
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