U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Physical Measurement Laboratory

Sensor Science Division

News and Updates

Displaying 101 - 125 of 175
portable vacuum standard

New Portable Vacuum Standard

A novel Portable Vacuum Standard (PVS) has been added to the roster of NIST's Standard Reference Instruments (SRI). It is now available for purchase as part of
diagram of gas tank

Weighing Gas with Sound and Microwaves

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a novel method to rapidly and accurately calibrate gas flow meters, such
Silicate bond sample

Thin, Strong Bond for Vacuum Seal

An ultra-stable, ultra-thin bonding technology has been adapted by researchers in PML's Semiconductor and Dimensional Metrology Division for use as a super
photo of NISTAR instrument

Taking the Wraps off NISTAR

The NIST Advanced Radiometer (NISTAR), mothballed for more than a decade, is slated to make its space debut very soon about 1.5 million kilometers sunward of
atomic placement options

Computing with Single Atoms

As features on silicon microchips continue to shrink, the final frontier of miniaturization is a transistor on the scale of a single atom – a technology that
scientists testing ocean color tile

Gauging the Hue of the Sea

The world's oceans face multiple threats, and fisheries, marine biologists, and environmental scientists need accurate and timely data about changing conditions
NASA image of Earth from space

Earth Science: Seeing the Surface Clearly

Satellite observation has revolutionized our understanding of terrestrial conditions and climate dynamics. But the measurement science is extremely demanding
radiograph of mechanism

Protecting Vacuum Gauges: Patent Pending

PML researchers have applied for a provisional patent on a device to protect expensive "spinning-rotor" high-vacuum gauges – used as transfer standards and
Rob Vest

EUV Calibrations for Satellite Sensors

Thanks to precision calibration measurements recently performed at NIST, satellites may soon be looking at sunlight with new and improved vision. On July 22
Yuqin Zong with LED timetime test enclosure

LEDs Get a Life Sentence

The light-emitting diode (LED) appears on track to become the light of our lives. Switching to bright, energy-efficient, durable, and environmentally friendly
Mark Luce with new document case

Making the Case for History

The original Declaration of Independence on display at the National Archives reaches its 237th anniversary this year protected by NIST science and engineering
underwater view of MOBY

Seeing the Oceans in Their True Colors

Much of what is known about the state of the Earth's oceans, and how they change over time, comes from satellite monitoring of reflected and thermally emitted