National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Plasma reactors are critical for manufacturing the semiconductor chips in today’s electronics and the technologies of tomorrow. But there’s some guesswork related to exactly what happens chemically when plasma interacts with a semiconductor wafer. The small knowledge gap is too large for NIST’s liking. That’s why we have the plasma reactor system shown here. Our researchers are making measurements of the chemistry as it happens, observing the way molecules are changing. #Semiconductor #Electronics #PlasmaReactor

NIST's Additive Manufacturing Metrology Testbed (or the AMMT, shown here) was designed to research laser-based metal 3D printing processes, which can be useful for developing pieces used in the aerospace, automotive, biomedical and electronics industries.  Using additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, manufacturers can design and produce a metal part for an airplane. But before that part can go into an aircraft and lift passengers into the air, they need to know that it will be durable and withstand the forces in play during flight. The variables in play during that printing process -- such as temperature and laser power during the 3D printing process -- make a big difference in how the final product turns out. This testbed allows us to make world-class measurements of the complex physical phenomena that go into the metals additive manufacturing process, helping manufacturers across the United States.  

We can make time go faster (kind of). Here's how: The Integrating Sphere-based Weathering Device, also known as SPHERE, is designed to simulate real-world environmental conditions to test the durability of materials. In this video, you can see guest researcher Leo Hsu adding a sample to a chamber within the SPHERE. By exposing samples to controlled levels of UV radiation, temperature, humidity, and mechanical stress, this device helps researchers assess how materials will perform over time. It’s a crucial tool for providing accurate data and accelerating weathering tests that can lead to longer-lasting, more reliable products. #MaterialTesting #WeatheringDevice #InnovationInScience

Quantum may seem very intimidating, but there are resources to break down this complicated topic. You can explore quantum physics with The Quantum Atlas’s interactives, animations and explainers. Take a small step into the realm of the very small: https://lnkd.in/eaqw7xM5 Image credit: Eileen Stauffer/The Quantum Atlas

Good measurements and standards are critical for all areas of science and technology, so it’s no surprise that NIST’s work covers an ultrawide breadth of topics. A new place to sample our agency’s range of subject areas is our NIST Works for You section, which includes such topics as next-generation MRIs, fair fuel transactions and nuclear security. Another way to see the variety of NIST activity is through our blog post on our most popular reference materials, from Charpy steel bars to engineered antibodies. To learn more about how standards tie all this work together, check out our feature story on why we need standards.

Particles called neutrons usually live inside the cores of atoms, but they can also exist on their own. How long do these free-floating neutrons live? The NIST Center for Neutron Research is helping to answer that question. Free neutrons have a lifetime of about 15 minutes on average before they transform, or decay, into other particles such as protons. The process helps us understand a fundamental force of nature, known as the weak nuclear force, which causes radioactive particles to decay. A better measurement of the neutron lifetime would give physicists greater clarity about the way our universe works. NIST researchers send a beam of slow-moving neutrons through an electromagnetic trap, which catches protons that emerge from the neutrons’ decay. Counting the protons in the trap helps reveal how many neutrons decayed in a given time period. However, similar experiments at different labs have yielded answers that vary by nearly ten seconds. NIST scientists want to figure out where the difference is coming from. Could it be that some unwanted substance is sneaking into the trap somehow? The physicists considered the possibility that a few hydrogen molecules might be contaminating the trap. So, the team examined the experimental data again for any evidence that hydrogen might be present. After a close look, the team found a very low likelihood that hydrogen was the culprit. We still don’t know the reason why the discrepancy exists. But we know one reason it doesn’t, and that gets us closer to the answer.

After the 2010 Nashville floods, NIST researcher Christina Gore watched her community have to adapt. She didn’t know the term at the time, but recovering from and preparing for natural disasters is called community resilience. Today, Christina is a community resilience researcher helping others prepare for disasters. Learn more in our latest Taking Measure blog post: https://lnkd.in/exQDywqt

NIST researchers and their colleagues have demonstrated a method to distinguish century-old coins from fakes by imaging antique coins with beams of low-energy neutrons. Authenticating coins is critical because scientists rely on them to chronicle the economic, political, and scientific developments of nations. NIST researcher Daniel Hussey and his colleagues chose neutrons to examine two Korean coins—one minted in the 1800s, the other a replica—because these subatomic particles penetrate heavy metals, such as copper, iron, and lead, and interact strongly with hydrogen-bearing compounds that form as a byproduct of corrosion. The location and pattern of corrosion within the two coins, both composed of copper alloys, provided hallmarks for verifying their age. For instance, the neutron study revealed that in the authentic coin, corrosion had penetrated deep within the body, indicating that the degradation was a gradual process that occurred over many decades. In contrast, corrosion in the recently minted replica was mainly confined to the surface, consistent with rapid corrosion over a short time period. Neutron imaging methods can also assist conservation efforts by determining the amount and locations of corrosion in authentic coins, suggesting areas of the coins that need a protective coating, for example.

Freezing temperatures across the country have many of us saying, “This is as cold as it gets.” Physics disagrees. In 1848, Lord Kelvin calculated the coldest possible temperature – known as absolute zero. Today, the metric unit for temperature is named the kelvin. Chill out with this Taking Measure blog post to learn more about Lord Kelvin and his work: https://lnkd.in/ez6fJnHV

Portable generators emit deadly carbon monoxide (CO) that you can't see or smell. Never put a generator indoors (including a garage, basement or crawlspace), even if you keep doors and windows open. Using a generator outside, but too close to the home, can also be dangerous. Put generators at least 7.6 m (25 feet) from your home and point the exhaust away from any open windows, doors and vents to keep CO from getting in.