"Technical Activities 2004" - Table of Contents

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Awards and Honors

MacArthur Fellowship Deborah S. Jin, Quantum Physics Division was a 2003 winner of a MacArthur Fellowship, commonly known as the "genius grant." The MacArthur Fellows Program awards unrestricted fellowships to individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction. Service to America Medal Deborah S. Jin, Quantum Physics Division was also awarded a 2004 Service to America Medal by Government Executive Magazine and the Partnership for Public Service. She was recognized for significant contributions to the nation in activities related to science and the environment. The award was for creating "a new form of matter which could potentially unlock the key to superconductivity, a phenomenon with the potential for improving energy efficiency dramatically across a broad range of applications."

Academician of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences William D. Phillips, Atomic Physics Division, was appointed a 2004 Academician of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. He was recognized for his contributions to science and for his Christian character, dedication, and example. The Pontifical Academy of Sciences was founded in Rome in 1603 with the name Academy of the Lynxes and led by Galileo Galilei. It is currently made up of 80 pontifical academicians named for life by the Pope after having been proposed by the academicians themselves.

Davisson-Germer Prize Paul S. Julienne, Atomic Physics Division, received the 2004 Davisson-Germer Prize in Atomic or Surface Physics from the American Physical Society. He was recognized for his pioneering studies of the theory of ultracold atomic collisions and its applications to precision metrology and quantum gas dynamics. The Prize was established in 1965 by AT&T Bell Laboratories (now Lucent Technologies) as a means of recognizing outstanding scientific work in America.

Frederick Ives Award/Jarus W. Quinn Endowment David J. Wineland, Time and Frequency Division, received the 2004 Frederick Ives Award/Jarus W. Quinn Endowment of the Optical Society of America, "for development of laser-manipulated quantum engineering at the single-atom level and application of these methods to quantum logic systems, atomic frequency standards, and fundamental tests of quantum mechanics." The award is the highest honor bestowed by the Optical Society of America, recognizing overall distinction in optics. Dr.Wineland was recognized for his group’s world-leading research in quantum state engineering of trapped ions and repeated breakthroughs in quantum computing, precision frequency standards, and fundamental tests of quantum mechanics. These include the first demonstration of the Schrödinger cat superposition of states in a single ion, the first demonstration of entanglement of four ions, the first experimental demonstration of all the components required for a scalable quantum computing architecture, and many other firsts required for quantum computation.

I. I. Rabi Award John L. Hall, Quantum Physics Division, received the 2004 I. I. Rabi Award of the IEEE Society for Ultrasonics, Ferroelectricity, and Frequency Control. Presented at the 2004 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium, the award was for his long-term research and achievements in the area of optical frequency standards. Légion d’Honneur Award John L. Hall, Quantum Physics Division, was also selected for membership in 2004 in the Légion d'Honneur, the highest award that the Republic of France makes to foreigners with a distinction level of "Chevalier" ("Knight").

E. Bright Wilson Award in Spectroscopy Marilyn E. Jacox, Scientist Emeritus, Optical Technology Division, received the 2003 E. Bright Wilson Award in Spectroscopy from the American Chemical Society for her outstanding contributions to fundamental spectroscopy of chemical reaction intermediates. She pioneered matrix isolation spectroscopy—a technique that involves snaring unstable molecules in an inert chemical framework so they can be studied—working from theory through novel experimental design to compilations of data on more than 3,400 neutral and ionic transient small molecules.

Presidential Rank Award David J. Wineland, Time and Frequency Division, received a 2004 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Senior Executives and Professionals from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for exceptional technical accomplishments, including development of optical frequency standards, fundamental tests of quantum mechanics, and research on quantum computing.

Presidential Early Career Award Scott A. Diddams, Time and Frequency Division, received a 2003 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for leadership in developing and applying new laser techniques to measure the frequency of electromagnetic radiation to unprecedented accuracy and to support development of advanced standards for time and length. Dr. Diddams was recognized for his outstanding work on optical frequency synthesis based on femtosecond laser frequency combs. The PECASE award is the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers. Sixty awards were given nationally and presented in a White House ceremony.

Arthur S. Flemming Awards Established in 1948, the Flemming Awards honor outstanding Federal employees with no more than fifteen years of government service. Recognized by the President of the United States, agency heads, and the private sector, about ten winners are selected each year from all areas of the Federal service.

Deborah S. Jin, Quantum Physics Division, received a 2003 Flemming Award, for breakthrough achievements in coaxing collections of fermionic atoms into a single quantum state, analogous to the Bose-Einstein Condensate. In 1999, she produced the first degenerate Fermi gas of atoms in a tiny cloud of potassium atoms in a magnetic trap. In 2003 she created the first Bose-Einstein “Super Molecule,” a Bose-Einstein Condensate of fermionic molecules.

Muhammad Arif, Ionizing Radiation Division, received a 2002 Flemming Award for his accomplishments in the development of two major neutron research facilities and for major research accomplishments in the fields of neutron interferometry, neutron optics, and neutron imaging.

Marc F. Desrosiers, Ionizing Radiation Division, received a 2002 Flemming Award for developing and establishing alanine/EPR technology as the dosimeter of the highest metrological quality for measuring the absorbed dose from ionizing radiation beams used in radiation processing, and for extending its use and meeting the needs of industry through an innovative e-Certification system he developed for remote, internet-based, on-demand calibrations.

Mark D. Stiles, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2002 Flemming Award for his leadership in the exploration and exploitation of electronic and magnetic properties of nanometer-scale devices. His research, based on first-principles quantum mechanical calculations, has guided seminal experiments on electron flow in transistors, single-electron charging effects in tunnel junctions, spintronic devices, and magnetic multilayer structures. In particular, this body of work has had a significant impact on the understanding, development, and commercialization of "giant magnetoresistive" devices, a breakthrough technology for the data storage industry.

Charles S. Tarrio, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2003 Flemming Award for pioneering contributions to the measurement of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, and its applications in semiconductor lithography, astronomy, and physical sciences. Dr. Tarrio established an EUV metrology facility at the NIST SURF synchrotron light source that has become the leading provider of measurement and characterization services to the international EUV optics community. During a decade of service this facility has performed well over 1000 tests for the user community, all on components that have been fabricated with tolerances at the cutting edge of measurement science. These include EUV telescopes that have been flown in satellite missions, optics for EUV semiconductor lithography systems, mirrors for x-ray lasers, and a variety of new devices for the generation, control and measurement of EUV light. Since EUV light has a wavelength of 10 nanometers, its optics must be formed to an accuracy of 1 nanometer, the size of 10 atoms. His focus on accurate metrology has led Dr. Tarrio to make a number of discoveries that have advanced the nanometer-scale technology of EUV optics, ranging from basic optical properties of materials to improved methods of nanofabrication.

Fellowship of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Katharine B. Gebbie, Director of the Physics Laboratory, was elected a 2004 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science "for her inspired directorship of the NIST Physics Laboratory, which is a world leader in the fields of atom cooling and trapping, nanotechnology, quantum metrology, and quantum computation."

Fellowship of the American Physical Society Mark D. Stiles, Electron and Optical Physics Division, was elected a 2004 Fellow of the American Physical Society, "for his creative and skillful use of first principles calculations and phenomenological models that have substantially contributed to our understanding of the physics of magnetic heterostructures."

Fellowship of the American Physical Society Deborah S. Jin, Quantum Physics Division, was elected a 2003 Fellow of the American Physical Society, for her innovative realization and exploration of a novel quantum system, the degenerate Fermi atomic gas.

Fellowship of the American Physical Society Joseph A. Stroscio, Electron and Optical Physics Division, was elected a 2002 Fellow of the American Physical Society, “for advancing our fundamental knowledge of semiconductor and metal surfaces and the innovative development, application, and dissemination of advanced methods of scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy.”

Washington Academy of Sciences Physical Science Award William R. Ott, Deputy Director of the Physics Laboratory, received the 2004 Physical Sciences Award from the Washington Academy of Sciences and was elected a Fellow for his leadership of the NIST Physics Laboratory in supporting industry, government, and the scientific community with measurement research and services in electronic, optical, and ionizing radiation technologies.

Washington Academy of Sciences Physical Science Award Charles W. Clark, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received the 2003 Physical Sciences Award of the Washington Academy of Sciences, and was elected a Fellow for his contributions to the physics of quantum manybody systems.

Fellowship of the Optical Society of America Paul D. Lett, Atomic Physics Division, was elected a 2003 Fellowof the Optical Society of America in recognition of his development of photoassociative spectroscopy as a tool for studying interactions between ultracold atoms.

Fellowship of the Optical Society of America Jabez J. McClelland, Electron and Optical Physics Division, was elected a 2004 Fellow of the Optical Society of America, for contributions to atom optics, including the fabrication of stable structures by direct-write atomic lithography.

Distinguished Visiting Fellow Award John D. Gillaspy, Atomic Physics Division, received the 2004 Distinguished Visiting Fellow Award at the new International Research Centre for Experimental Physics at the Queen’s University of Belfast. He was recognized for his expertise in the physics and applications of highly charged ions, the focus of research in the "Ion Hall" that comprises most of one floor of the new Centre. The competitive award was designed to bring in internationally recognized physicists to enhance interdisciplinary research activity.

Bourke Lectureship Award Paul D. Lett, Atomic Physics Division, received the 2004 Bourke Lectureship Award. He was recognized for his distinguished work on cooling and trapping of atoms, on ultralow energy atomic collisions and on photoassisted association at ultralow temperatures. Dr. Lett was selected by the Faraday Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The award was presented by the Imperial College, United Kingdom.

Bourke Lectureship Award David J. Nesbitt, Quantum Physics Division, was awarded the 2002 Bourke Lectureship of the Faraday Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The Faraday Society instituted the lectureship in 1954 as a means to bring distinguished scientists from overseas to lecture in Britain.

IEEE Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control Society Distinguished Lecturer Steven Jefferts, Time and Frequency Division, was selected as the IEEE Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control Society Distinguished Lecturer for 2003–2004. Dr. Jefferts was selected because of his international prominence in the field of frequency standards as the leader of the NIST-F1 primary frequency standard team. Through the Distinguished Lecturer program, Dr. Jefferts gave many lectures on "Atomic Clocks--Past, Present, and Future" in Europe, Asia, and the United States.

Tom L. Popejoy Dissertation Prize Joshua C. Bienfang, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received the 2003 Tom L. Popejoy Dissertation Prize of the University of New Mexico. Dr. Bienfang was recognized for his 2001 physics Ph.D. dissertation, Laser Frequency Stabilization and Nonlinear Conversion. The award citation describes this dissertation as "a rare combination of sophisticated experiments and theory."

Sigma Xi (NIST Chapter) Young Scientist Award James Porto, Atomic Physics Division, received the 2004 Young Scientist Award from the NIST Chapter of Sigma Xi. He was recognized for excellence in quantum engineering research using ion and atom traps.

W. J. Youden Award Kenneth G. W. Inn, Ionizing Radiation Division, received the 2003 W. J. Youden Award in Interlaboratory Testing for recognition of the paper, "An Alternative Statistical Approach for Interlaboratory Comparison Data Evaluation," published in the Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 248, 163-173 (2001).

James F. Gibbons Award David DeWitt, Faculty Appointment, Optical Technology Division, received the 2004 James F. Gibbons Award from the IEEE, for pioneering work in the field of advanced thermal processing of semiconductor materials.

Best Paper Award in Applied Metrology George P. Eppeldauer, Optical Technology Division, received the Best Paper Award in the Applied Metrology Category of the 2004"NCSL International Workshop and Symposium. The award was given for "Irradiance Responsivity Scale Realization between 1 µm and 2.5 µm," a paper describing the extension of the NIST reference detector responsivity scale from the visible to the infrared range. The paper also describes a newly developed extended-InGaAs radiometer that can propagate the new scale to calibrate infrared devices and systems with low measurement uncertainty.

Gold Medal (DoC) The Gold Medal is the highest honor award conferred upon an employee by the Department of Commerce, for "distinguished performance characterized by extraordinary, notable, or prestigious contributions that impact the mission of the Department of Commerce and/or operating unit and which reflect favorably on the Department."

Albert C. Parr, Optical Technology Division, received a 2003 Gold Medal, “for strategic leadership in building major technical programs responsive to measurement needs of the Nation.” These include the needs of the military for effective night vision sensors and missile detection systems and the needs of remote sensing networks for high accuracy optical radiation measurements to monitor global climate change. In addition, he addressed the needs of the microelectronics industry for noncontact optical probes of manufacturing processes and the needs of major manufacturing sectors for sophisticated color and appearance standards to ensure quality of consumer products.

Charles W. Clark, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2004 Gold Medal, "for leadership in establishing NIST as the world’s foremost center of excellence in quantum computing and quantum information science and engineering." Subsequent to major breakthroughs at NIST in quantum physics in 1995, Dr. Clark established a Quantum Information/Bose-Einstein Condensation center of excellence where scientists from around the world could work together on the latest ideas in quantum engineering. QIBEC has been immensely successful, due primarily to Dr. Clark's dynamic leadership. He created a forum for new developments in quantum communication, cryptography, and information processing, areas where NIST is now preeminent, and has promoted innovation and excellence through his leadership and personal technical excellence.

Steven Jefferts, Thomas Heavner, and Elizabeth Donley, Time and Frequency Division, received a 2004 Gold Medal for designing, constructing, operating, and continually improving the world’s most accurate atomic clock, the NIST-F1 laser-cooled cesium fountain primary frequency standard. NIST-F1 is the U.S. national standard for frequency and the SI second, with a fractional frequency uncertainty of about 6 × 10-16 as of December, 2004. NIST-F1 is the calibration source for the NIST time scale, which underpins NIST's most heavily used services, including the Internet Time Service and NIST radio broadcasts.

Silver Medal (DoC) The Silver Medal is the second highest honor awarded by the Department of Commerce, for "exceptional performance characterized by noteworthy or superlative contributions that have a direct and lasting impact."

Carl J. Williams, Atomic Physics Division, received a 2003 Silver Medal, for leadership of the NIST Quantum Information Program. The Program combines NIST laboratory research efforts in Boulder, CO, and Gaithersburg, MD, in a coordinated effort towards early implementation of quantum information processing technology. It has grown into a multidisciplinary effort that is internationally recognized for its accomplishments, and is a primary provider of quantum information technology and expertise to the defense, intelligence, and scientific communities.

B. Carol Johnson and Steven W. Brown, Optical Technology Division, received a 2004 Silver Medal, "for their innovative approach to optical sensor calibration which resulted in a 6 % decrease in the satellite-derived ocean chlorophyll a level, a critical measure of carbon dioxide intake by the oceans."

Charles S. Tarrio and Steven Grantham, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2004 Silver Medal, "for establishing a measurement science program that has brought NIST to a position of world leadership in the emerging technology of extreme ultraviolet optics." Drs. Tarrio and Grantham combined basic measurement science with high responsiveness to customer needs, in an area of rapid technological change and key economic importance. They built a major national facility for the optical characterization of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imaging systems based at the NIST Synchrotron Ultraviolet Research Facility (SURF), and established NIST as the clear international leader in EUV metrology. In light of their work, NIST has led the effort to standardize EUV optical measurements worldwide.

Michael P. Unterweger Jr. and Leticia Pibida, Ionizing Radiation Division, received a 2004 Silver Medal for leadership in the development and implementation of radiation detector standards for homeland security. These standards address the performance of radiological detection equipment to be used by personnel involved in border control, customs, coast guard, and postal services requiring the detection, monitoring, and interdiction of illicit radiological material entering and transported through the country. These standards will provide crucial support for first responders needing reliable measurements of radioactive material in homeland security situations.

Bronze Medal (NIST) The Bronze Medal is the highest honorary recognition available for Institute presentation. The award recognizes work that has resulted in more effective and efficient management systems, as well as the demonstration of unusual initiative or creative ability in the development and improvement of methods and procedures. It is also given for significant contributions affecting major programs, scientific accomplishment within the Institute, and superior performance of assigned tasks for at least five consecutive years.”

Michael G. Mitch, Ionizing Radiation Division, received a 2004 Bronze Medal for providing measurement services to enable the consistent, safe, and efficacious use of brachytherapy radiation sources, such as prostate seeds. The implantation of tiny radioactive seeds in the prostate to kill diseased tissue is being increasingly used for cancer therapy. This has stimulated a ten-fold growth in manufacturers of such seeds. Since 1999, when NIST introduced a primary standard for measuring seed strength with high accuracy regardless of design, Dr. Mitch worked with manufacturers, secondary calibration labs, and clinics to disseminate this unique capability. His services are important for ensuring stability and consistency of manufacturing processes, necessary for FDA and NRC approval and the eventual use of the seeds in patients. He works closely with a national network of accredited calibration labs in transferring seed calibrations and providing proficiency testing.

Maria E. Nadal and Edward A. Early, Optical Technology Division, received a 2004 Bronze Medal for developing a state-of-the-art instrument to meet industry’s needs for improved color measurements and standards. Incorrect color measurements waste 2 % to 3 % of manufacturing costs and affect virtually every commercial product and all tiers of the supply chain due to the wide use of plastics, paints, coatings, inks, pigments, and dyes by manufacturers. The team also developed the statistical analysis tools to help industry determine their color measurement uncertainties. By allowing U.S. products to meet stringent color specifications, independent of manufacturing locale, these new NIST capabilities and measurement services have strengthened U.S. industrial competitiveness.

Joseph P. Rice, Optical Technology Division, received a 2004 Bronze Medal for developing an innovative radiometer to link infrared measurements from U.S. satellites to NIST optical radiation scales. Satellite sensors provide information about land and sea-surface temperatures, cloud heights, humidity profiles, concentration and distributions of atmospheric molecules and pollutants, and forest fires.

Robert E. Vest, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2004 Bronze Medal for providing high quality calibration services for far ultraviolet detectors and working with customers to improve the measurement technology. Photodetectors calibrated on his beamline at the NIST Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility are found in virtually every major UV radiation measurement laboratory in the world. With his collaborators, he has devised several new detectors for applications of growing industrial importance, such as 193 nm and 157 nm lithography.

Alan H. Band, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2003 Bronze Medal for his outstanding success designing and fabricating electronic instrumentation. Mr. Band designed and supervised the construction of the Electron Physics Group's scanning tunneling microscope, autonomous atom assembler, scanning electron microscope with polarization analysis, and single atom-ondemand source. Mr. Band has frequently been sought out for collaborative projects with other Laboratories within NIST. Because of his skill, industry, and creativity, he was instrumental in the success of several highly important NIST programs. In addition, the Smithsonian currently features a display he designed for their "Science in American Life" exhibit.

Angela R. Hight Walker, Optical Technology Division, received a 2003 Bronze Medal, for leadership in developing stronger programmatic ties between NIST and NIH and in increasing the opportunities for scientific collaboration and institutional cooperation with NIH.

Lawrence T. Hudson, Ionizing Radiation Division, received a 2003 Bronze Medal "for outstanding response to a national emergency by coordinating and implementing a protocol for the decontamination of the mail by irradiation." His design and validation of an x-ray imaging process permitted parcels that had been quarantined to be sanitized and released after the widely publicized anthrax terror attacks using the U.S. mail system.

Samuel Wesley Stratton Award (NIST) The Samuel Wesley Stratton Award is granted for outstanding scientific or engineering achievements in support of NIST objectives.

Paul S. Julienne, Atomic Physics Division, received the 2004 Stratton Award for world-leading theoretical physics research in ultracold collisions fundamental to the laser cooling of atoms and to Bose-Einstein condensation.

David J. Wineland, Time and Frequency Division, received the 2003 Stratton Award for pioneering research in quantum engineering for quantum computing, precision frequency standards, and fundamental tests of quantum mechanics. Dr. Wineland was recognized for his Ion Storage Group’s world-leading research in quantum state engineering of trapped ions with repeated breakthroughs in quantum computing, precision frequency standards, and fundamental tests of quantum mechanics.

"Technical Activities 2004" - Table of Contents