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Physical Measurement Laboratory /Sensor Science Division

Ultraviolet Radiation Group

Provides our National standards for ultraviolet (UV) and extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) radiometry. We operate the SURF III, a 380 MeV electron storage ring, which provides a continuum source of synchrotron radiation from soft x-rays through the far infrared.

Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility SURF III

  • Provides our National standards for ultraviolet (UV) extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) radiometry
    • Monitoring space weather and solar variability
    • Advancing industrial uses – e.g. EUV microlithography, UV curing
  • Provides continuum radiation from the soft x-ray to the infrared spectral regions, with ideal output profile for EUV studies related to solar physics and the development of EUV lithography
  • Calculable irradiance traceable to the SI units to less than 1 % absolute uncertainty from 4 nm to 400 nm
  • Beamlines equipped for detector, spectrometer, and lamp calibrations; reflectometry and transmission measurements; degradation and lifetime studies
  • Carefully characterized and maintained source, operated in a clean hydrocarbon-free vacuum

Measurement services and other calibrations

  • Photodiode calibrations from 5 nm to 400 nm and UV source lamp calibrations as through NIST Measurement Services
  • Calibration of all NASA and NOAA solar observing satellite instruments
  • Mirror reflectivity for solar telescopes and EUV lithographic tools

Research

  • UV/EUV-induced optics contamination of optics in space and in EUV lithography tools
  • Establish traceability to the SI units and reduce absolute uncertainties over the whole range 4 nm to 400 nm
  • Optical properties of materials in the VUV and EUV
  • Development and characterization of new detectors and imaging systems in the VUV and EUV
  • Theoretical and experimental treatment of diffraction contributions in source-based radiometry
  • Using improved understanding of synchrotron physics to reduce beam noise to improve suitability of source for infrared microscopy

Highlights

Images and Spectra of a solar flare taken from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Mission launched in February 2010. Top three panels (l to r): Images showing magnetic loops of the solar flare taken at 9.4 nm, 33.5 nm, and 17.1 nm, respectively, taken by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) aboard the SDO; Fourth panel: graphic related to magnetic field strength at the flare taken by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI). Bottom: Time history of flare emission at 9.4 nm and 33.5 nm taken by the Extreme-Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) instrument. The initial calibration of EVE and the periodic recalibrations through a duplicate EVE on rocket underflights were done at SURF III. The AIA is periodically cross calibrated against EVE.

News and Updates

Projects and Programs

Solar Flare

SDO/EVE/ESP Calibration

NASA launched the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) satellite on 11 Feb 2010 on a mission to study the sun. The EUV Variability Experiment (EVE) on SDO contains
Reflectance of two materials

Extreme ultraviolet optical constants

In the vacuum ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet (EUV), the indices of refraction of all materials become complex: N = n + ik, or N = 1- d + ik. Here, n is the

Publications

Optics Contamination

Author(s)
Charles S. Tarrio, Shannon B. Hill, Robert F. Berg, Sasa Bajt

Tools and Instruments

Far Ultraviolet Calibration Facility

The FUV Calibration Facility is used for detector-based radiometry and other measurements of optical properties in the far ultraviolet (FUV) from 50 nm to 254
Beamline 7

Beamline 7: EUV reflectometry

The NIST/DARPA EUV Reflectometry facility began in the late 1980's to make measurements of the reflectivity of EUV multilayer optics for lithography. Since then

Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF III)

Products and Services

Contacts

Group Leader

Office Manager