NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.
Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
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.
Jonathan L. Habif, David S. Pearson, Robert Hadfield, Robert E. Schwall, Sae Woo Nam, Aaron J. Miller
We provide a direct comparison between the InGaAs avalanche photodiode (APD) and the NbN superconducting single photon detector (SSPD) for applications in fiber-based quantum cryptography. The quantum efficiency and dark count rate were measured for each
Eyal Gerecht, Dazhen Gu, Fernando Rodriquez-Morales, Sigfrid Yngvesson
Imaging and spectroscopy at terahertz frequencies (defined roughly as 300 GHz-3 THz) have great potential for both healthcare and homeland security applications. Terahertz frequencies correspond to energy level transitions of important molecules ibbiology
David W. Berning, Allen R. Hefner Jr., J J. Rodriguez, Colleen E. Hood, Angel Rivera
A generalized 25 kV test bed developed to characterize high-voltage, high-power SiC devices is described. The test bed features containment of all high voltage circuits and the device under test (DUT) within a clear plastic interlocked safety box. A fast
Allen R. Hefner Jr., Ryu Sei-Hyung, Hull Brett, David W. Berning, Colleen E. Hood, Jose M. Ortiz-Rodriguez, Angel Rivera-Lopez, Tam H. Duong, Adwoa Akuffo, Madelaine H. Hernandez
The emergence of High-Voltage, High-Frequency (HV-HF) Silicon-Carbide (SiC) power devices is expected to revolutionize commercial and military power distribution and conversion systems. The DARPA Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Technology (WBST) High Power
We examine the effects of using an unshielded cable as a reference standard for the evaluation of the high-frequency shielding effectiveness of cables. We placed an unshielded cable (wire) in five different configurations in our reverberation chamber. In
NIST has developed the capability to measure noise parameters on a wafer int he 1-12.4 GHz range. In this paper we briefly describe the measurement methods and the uncertainty analysis and present results of measurements on a very poorly matched transistor
Eyal Gerecht, Dazhen Gu, James P. Randa, Dave K. Walker, Robert L. Billinger
We report on design of a radiometer for traceable noise-temperature measurements at terahertz frequencies, including noise measurements on cryogenic IF components, development and test of quasi-optical adapter technology, development of black body
Tam H. Duong, Allen R. Hefner Jr., David W. Berning
Previously developed IMPACT software tools are extended to include the material parameters and device structures of SiC power devices. These software tools extract the data necessary establish a library of SiC power device component models and provide a
Jose M. Ortiz-Rodriguez, Allen R. Hefner Jr., David W. Berning, Colleen E. Hood, S. Olcum
Silicon carbide (SiC) power devices have begun to emerge recently with a performance that is superior to that of silicon power devices. Therefore, the push to higher power and higher voltage applications also comes with it. This work addresses the need for
Jon R. Pratt, John A. Kramar, Gordon Shaw, Richard Gates, Paul Rice, John M. Moreland
This paper provides an overview of calibration artifacts being developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that are intended to aid the accurate determination of nanoscale physical properties across a broad range of applications
James P. Randa, Tom McKay, Susan L. Sweeney, Dave K. Walker, Lawrence Wagner, David R. Greenberg, Jon Tao, G. Ali Rezvani
We review the concept of reverse noise measurements in the context of on-wafer transistor noise characterization. Several different applications of reverse noise measurements are suggested and demonstrated. Reverse measurements can be used to check
Sei-Hyung Ryu, Sumi Krishnaswami, Hull Brett, James Richmond, Anant Agarwal, Allen R. Hefner Jr.
In this paper, we report 4H-SiC power DMOSFETs capable of blocking 10 kV. The devices were scaled up to 5 A, which is a factor of 25 increase in device area compared to the previously reported value. The devices utilized 100 υm thick n-type epilayers with
The emergence of High-Voltage, High-Frequency (HV-HF) Silicon-Carbide (SiC) power devices is expected to revolutionize commercial and military power distribution and conversion systems. The DARPA Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Technology (WBST) High Power
James P. Randa, Eyal Gerecht, Dazhen Gu, Robert L. Billinger
We report precision measurements of the effective input noise temperature of a cryogenic (liquid helium temperature) MMIC amplifier at the amplifier reference planes within the cryostat. A method is given for characterizing and removing the effect of the
Despite Silicon Carbide's (SiC's) high breakdown electric field, high thermal conductivity and wide bandgap, it faces certain reliability challenges when used to make conventional power device structures like power MOS-based devices, bipolar-mode diodes
Catherine A. Remley, Chriss A. Grosvenor, Robert T. Johnk, David R. Novotny, Paul D. Hale, Michael McKinley, Emmanouil Antonakakis, A Karygiannis
The proliferation of wireless devices and the availability of new wireless applications and services raise new privacy and security concerns. Although network-layer anonymity protects the identities of the communication endpoints, the physical layer of
James P. Randa, Susan L. Sweeney, Tom McKay, Dave K. Walker, David R. Greenberg, Jon Tao, Judah Mendez, G. Ali Rezvani, John J. Pekarik
We present results of an interlaboratory comparison of S-parameter and noise-parameter measurements performed on 0.12 υm gate-length CMOS transistors. Copies of the same device were measured at three different laboratories (IBM, NIST, RFMD), and the
Michael H. Francis, Katherine MacReynolds, Jeffrey R. Guerrieri
Scientists at the National Institute of Standards (NIST) have measured the gain of several antennas using two different methods. The first method is the three-antenna extrapolation method developed at NIST in the early 1970s. The second method is the
Michelle Chabot, John M. Moreland, Lan Gao, Sy-Hwang Liou, C. W. Miller
In this paper, we report on the design, fabrication, and implementation of ultrasensitive micromechanical oscillators. Our ultrathin single-crystal silicon cantilevers with integrated magnetic structures are the first of their kind: They are fabricated
Jih-Sheng Lai, H. Yu, J. Zhang, Y. Li, Kuang Sheng, J.H. Zhao, Allen R. Hefner Jr.
A normally-off SiC JFETs has been characterized under static and dynamic operating conditions. Two application oriented inverter circuits were constructed for additional tests under soft- and hard-switching conditions. The single-phase soft-switching
Robert Keller, Cynthia A. Volkert, Roy H. Geiss, Andrew Slifka, David T. Read, Nicholas Barbosa, Reiner Monig
We describe the use of electrical methods for evaluating mechanical reliability and properties of patterned copper and aluminum interconnects on silicon substrates. The approach makes use of controlled Joule heating, which causes thermal strains in the
This paper describes the key features of the NIST-developed software tool called ?GerberTranslator?. GerberTranslator is a software translator which automates the majority of the work in converting a printed circuit board (PCB) described in the industry
Michael H. Francis, Ronald C. Wittmann, Jin-Seob Kang
A general approach is presented for estimating uncertainties in far-field parameters obtained from spherical near-field antenna measurements. The error is approximately bounded in terms of the uncertainty of the probe's receiving pattern and the