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Physics

Overview

Physics research at NIST includes everything from improving the safety of medical radiation procedures to developing future "quantum information" technologies that generate unbreakable codes. NIST provides the measurements, standards, and technical expertise scientists and industries need to push the limits of the fundamental properties of nature.

Featured Content

Measuring the Cosmos

NIST and the Nobel

Physical Reference Data

What Are Optical Lattices?

What Is an Optical Frequency Comb?

What Is the Planck Constant?

What Are Imaging Phantoms?

SI Redefinition

Physics Topics

Atomic / molecular / quantum

Optical physics and communications

Quantum information science

Key Accomplishments

Atomic clocks: NIST built the world’s first atomic clock, showing how to achieve the precise synchronization now critical to many modern technology systems, from GPS satellites for navigation to stock exchanges. NIST continues to operate atomic clocks, including the U.S. civilian time standard.
Frequency combs: NIST scientists developed the frequency comb, a “ruler of light” that made possible the latest atomic clocks, which may serve as future time standards. Frequency comb applications are also helping to find Earth-like planets, identify atmospheric chemicals and locate gas leaks.
Laser cooling: NIST physicists led the development and application of methods of cooling and trapping atoms with laser light, leading to the creation of new states of matter, advances in experimental quantum computing, and the awarding of three related Nobel Prizes to NIST physicists.

The Research

Projects & Programs

Yb Lattice Clock

Ongoing

Our Group is developing high stability, high accuracy optical atomic clocks based on thousands of Yb atoms confined to an optical lattice. Such clocks will find

Exposure Notification – protecting workplaces and vulnerable communities during a pandemic

The goal of this project is to utilize NIST expertise in privacy, cybersecurity, machine learning, wireless technology, ranging, modeling, and hardware and

Quantum Pascal: Fixed Length Optical Cavity (FLOC) Pressure Standards

Ongoing

This project is fundamentally changing the method for realizing and disseminating the SI unit of pressure, the pascale (Pa). The underlying principal behind

View All Projects/Programs

Additional Resources Links

Publications

Closeup of metallic plate shows circular sensors.

Measuring the Cosmos

Scientists around the world use state-of-the-art telescopes to understand our universe.

Take a look under the hood and see the NIST technology that helps answer many cosmic questions.

Learn more

News

NIST physicist Elizabeth Donley and Compact Atomic Clock

Keeping Time at NIST

Einstein is reported to have once said that time is what a clock measures. Some say that what we experience as time is really our experience of the phenomenon of entropy, the second law of thermodynamics. Entropy, loosely explained, is the tendency for things to become disorganized. Hot coffee always goes cold. It never reheats itself. Eggs don’t unscramble themselves. Your room gets messy and you

View from above shows NIST's Center for Neutron Research building with green lawns and trees.

NRC Authorizes Restart of NIST Research Reactor

〈Q|School Single Photonics Short Course: Sources, Detectors and Measurements

Ana Maria Rey sits at desk in an office and smiles for a photo.

Spotlight: NIST/JILA Fellow Ana Maria Rey’s Entrance Into Theoretical Physics

Stay in Touch

Upcoming Events

2023 NIST Time and Frequency Seminar

Mon, Jul 10 - Wed, Jul 12 2023

NIST Time and Frequency Division's annual seminar covers clocks, oscillators, atomic frequency standards, rf and optical