NIST News

You can toot your New Year's horn an extra second this year, say physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Along with the rest of the world's atomic … more

After three years of development, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a major upgrade of the widely used NIST/EPA/NIH Mass Spectral Library. The library is an … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will co-host a workshop to discuss needed measurement technologies and standards in the rapidly evolving field of nanoscale biotechnology … more

An instrument called GAMS4, originally designed and built at NIST and now located at Institut Laue Langevin in France, was used in experiments that helped to confirm Einstein’s … more

GAITHERSBURG, MD—Starting in 2007, nonprofit organizations—including charities, trade and professional associations, and government agencies—will be eligible to apply … more

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are assisting the Department of Transportation (DOT) by developing tests for a crash avoidance system that could … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded a $250,000 matching grant to support the development of an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-sponsored U.S./China … more

NIST researchers have succeeded in coaxing six ions into an unusual quantum “cat” state in which their nuclei are collectively spinning clockwise and counterclockwise … more

WASHINGTON, D.C.—President George W. Bush and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez today announced six organizations as recipients of the 2005 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the … more

Dr. Virgil Gligor, one of the country's pioneering figures in computer security, will be presented with the 2006 National Information Systems Security Award by the National Institute of … more

NIST Fellow William D. Phillips, 1997 Nobel Laureate in physics, is a distinguished recipient of a 2005 Presidential Rank Award for exceptional long-term accomplishments, the most prestigious award … more

Project leader Kent Irwin installs superconducting materials in an ultra-cold refrigerator for testing. These materials are used to make high-performance X-ray sensors for astronomy and … more

NIST has awarded two new Precision Measurement Grants to promote fundamental research in measurement science in U.S. colleges and universities. One grant was made to Edmund G. Myers of Florida … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released in September an updated version of a popular computer program that fire investigators, safety officials, engineers, architects and … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in cooperation with the National Library of Medicine will host a workshop on Dec. 7, 2005, to explore the need for improved measurement … more

Testifying before a hearing of the House Science Committee on Oct. 26, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director William Jeffrey urged implementation of 30 specific … more

WASHINGTON, D.C.— William Jeffrey, director of the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), today called on the organizations that … more

On Oct. 13, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced that it has deployed the first of three teams of technical experts under a multiorganizational partnership to perform … more

NIST Fellow Jun Ye was honored Oct. 8 at the "Amazing Light: Visions for Discovery" symposium held to celebrate the 90th birthday of 1964 Nobel Laureate Charles Townes, co-inventor of the … more

Information technology has made it simpler and more convenient to handle a myriad of tasks online, such as booking a hotel, paying bills and ordering clothes. Widespread adoption and use of … more

GAITHERSBURG, Md.—The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced today that it has deployed the first of three teams of technical … more

Today, federal agencies use computer systems and networks to store information and to interact with industry, private citizens and other governments both in this country and around the world. In … more

U.S. commercial building owners could save substantially on annual heating and cooling energy costs by improving airtightness of their buildings' envelope, according to a recent National … more

Congratulatory letter from Congressman Boehlert (requires Acrobat Reader) Nobel laureate John L. (Jan) Hall © 2005 Geoffrey Wheeler For a high-resolution version of this photo … more

The impact of new technologies on radiation measurements and standards will be the focus of the 14th annual conference of the Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards, to be held … more

A simulation made with NIST micromagnetic software shows the interaction of "spin waves" emitted by two nano-oscillators that generate microwave signals. The ability of these … more

Physicist Richard Steiner adjusts the electronic kilogram, an experimental apparatus for defining mass in terms of the basic properties of nature. ©Robert Rathe For a … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Enterprise Integration Inc. (EII) are sponsoring a conference on how computer programs for business models, modeling and simulation … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology would like comments on proposed changes to a Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) issued in February for a smart-card-based form of … more

Although still in the qualifying rounds, U.S. researchers are helping manufacturers win the race to develop low-cost ways to commercialize a multitude of products based on inexpensive organic … more

A crystal diagram shows the triangle-shaped atomic structure of nickel gallium sulfide, which may have an unusual magnetic "liquid" state at low temperatures. Red spheres … more

Handheld devices such as personal digital assistants are becoming indispensable tools for today’s highly mobile workforce. Small and relatively inexpensive, these devices can be used for … more

The External RNA Controls Consortium (ERCC) has issued for comment a draft plan for the selection and qualification of candidate RNA sequences, to be used as controls for assessing the performance … more

The National Institute of Stanards and Technology has posted at www.nist.gov/speech/tests/mt the results of the NIST 2005 Machine Translation Evaluation (MT-05), part of an ongoing series assessing … more

Widespread electronic attacks on computer systems have become commonplace with threats ranging from remotely launched attacks on network services to malicious code spread through e-mails. To make … more

Ask any handyman what's the most important thing he needs to get the job done and he'll probably say his toolbox. Thanks to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in cooperation with the ASM International Surface Engineering Committee, has issued a guide to published standards for the measurement and … more

Industry executives, research managers, academics and science policy decision makers are invited to attend The Industrial Physics Forum on Nov. 6-8, 2005, at the National Institute of Standards and … more

The Biometrics Consortium Conference 2005 will address the latest trends in research, development, testing and application of biometric technologies, especially in the area of homeland security. … more

Got the correct time? Radio controlled clocks and watches that automatically synchronize to official U.S. time provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have become more … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed guidelines for federal agencies to use in planning and designing certification and accreditation procedures for issuing … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will host a workshop this coming October to assist U.S. manufacturers and their supply chain partners in meeting new environmental … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced that it is running the Iris Challenge Evaluation (ICE), the first large-scale evaluation of iris recognition. Iris … more

Cyber attackers are constantly scanning the Internet looking for vulnerabilities in computer systems that will enable them to take control and use the systems for illegal or unethical activities … more

Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have used charged atoms (ions) to demonstrate a quantum physics version of computer memory lasting longer than 10 … more

A compact, inexpensive method for stabilizing lasers that uses a new design to reduce sensitivity to vibration and gravity 100 times better than similar approaches has been demonstrated by … more

Ever since envelopes containing anthrax bacteria were mailed to Congressional and media offices in 2001 causing several deaths, many first responder departments have worked to improve their ability … more

Software that is poorly designed, inappropriate for specific tasks or just difficult to use can be frustrating, unproductive and costly for both businesses and individuals. To help remedy the … more

With a value-added contribution of $1.4 trillion, U.S. manufacturing directly accounts for approximately 13 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. The National Institute of Standards and … more

To help federal agencies comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued Special Publication 800-53, … more

In cancer research, biomarkers are molecules that indicate the presence of cancer in the body. Most are based on abnormal changes or mutations in genes, RNA, proteins and metabolites. Since the … more

To help federal agencies improve their information technology security and comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002, the National Institute of Standards and … more

Click here for a high resolution version of this photo. WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today confirmed William Alan Jeffrey, a veteran manager of federal science and … more

Publication Provides Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Agencies GAITHERSBURG, Md.—Computer scientists at the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards … more

Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) may be the next-generation patterning technique used to produce smaller and faster microchips with feature sizes of 32 nanometers and below. However, durable … more

For makers of computers, disk drives and other sophisticated technologies, a guiding principle is the smoother the surfaces of chips and other components, the better these devices and the products, … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is soliciting papers, presentations and other submissions for a workshop on Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2005, in Gaithersburg, Md., to discuss a … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has established a program for accrediting laboratories that will test voting systems and components in accordance with the Help America … more

Want to know about pending changes in technical regulations in Brazil, the United Kingdom, Korea or any of the 148 nations that are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO)? Then sign up for … more

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) fire investigators have urged all state and local governments to adopt and aggressively enforce national model building and fire safety codes … more

Companies and research organizations are invited to collaborate with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and SEMATECH in the development and evaluation of a new generation of … more

President Bush has set a goal of widespread adoption of electronic health records within 10 years so that health information will follow patients throughout their care in a seamless and secure … more

In an advance for nanoscale electronics, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated a new design for silicon nanowire transistors that both … more

Through pioneering contributions that have expanded the capabilities of a class of specialized instruments that use neutrons to probe materials, Charles Majkrzak has given researchers around the … more

Full list of recommendations Complete Report: Volume 1 (.pdf; requires Acrobat Reader) Appendices: Volume 2 (.pdf; requires Acrobat Reader) GAITHERSBURG, MD — The U.S. Commerce … more

Presentation by Shyam Sunder, lead investigator (includes abridged recommendations) Remarks by Hratch Semerjian, Acting NIST Director Draft summary report: executive summary, complete … more

The 20th annual Laser Measurements Short Course sponsored by NIST's Optoelectronics Division will be offered Aug. 9-12, 2005, in Boulder, Colo. The three-day seminar emphasizes the concepts, … more

On June 6, four NIST researchers were among 12 honorees who received the Arthur S. Flemming Award at a ceremony held at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Established by the … more

Measurements of the intensity of light at different wavelengths can be made more accurately now, thanks to a new, simple method for correcting common instrument errors. The new method, developed by … more

Computers just respond to commands, never "thinking" about the consequences. A new software language, however, promises to enable computers to reason much more precisely and thus better … more

A pilot study at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in support of the National Cancer Institute's Early Detection Research Network (EDRN), has validated the measurement … more

Gaithersburg, Md.—Jenks School District, Jenks, Okla., is the 1,000th applicant for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Managed by the Commerce Department’s National … more

Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez recently approved the withdrawal of the Data Encryption Standard (Federal Information Processing Standard 46-3) and two related standards that provide for the … more

Sometimes seeing a shadow can be as good or better than seeing the real thing. A new measurement method* developed by researchers working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology … more

While the overall frozen baked goods industry has remained relatively flat, sales for The Bama Companies have increased 72 percent; total revenue has grown from $123 million in 1999 to $211 million … more

Sensors that detect and count single photons, the smallest quantities of light, with 88 percent efficiency have been demonstrated by physicists at the National Institute of Standard and Technology … more

The World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, showed the critical importance of fire resistant materials for structural steel. To accelerate technological advances in this area, … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will host the Seventh Annual Workshop on Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) in the Environment on June 13 and 14 , 2005, at the NIST … more

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) economists have released risk assessment software that building owners and managers can use to identify and guard against terrorist threats to … more

& This colorized image shows the fluorescence from three trapped beryllium ions illuminated with an ultraviolet laser beam. Black and blue areas indicate lower intensity; red and … more

Boulder, Colo.—A crucial step in a procedure that could enable future quantum computers to break today’s most commonly used encryption codes has been demonstrated by physicists … more

WASHINGTON, D.C—An initiative to “roadmap” the nation’s future measurement needs was announced today by the Commerce Department’s National … more

Deborah S. Jin © Geoffrey Wheeler For a high-resolution version of this image, contact Gail Porter. WASHINGTON,D.C. — Deborah S. Jin, a physicist and fellow of the … more

This computer model shows how titanium atoms (dark blue) can attach above the centers of single-walled carbon nanotubes (light blue). Quantum calculations and modeling by a NIST researcher … more

This colorized scanning electron micrograph shows a cube of germanium attached to a membrane. The four small light blue rectangles at the midpoints of the membrane perimeter are … more

Gaithersburg,Md.—Acting Director Hratch Semerjian of the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has named three distinguished industry … more

BOULDER, COLO.--The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and University of Colorado (CU) today created a partnership to enhance scientific, … more

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and HDR Inc. will accept an award on March 29 for "high honors" in R&D Magazine’s 2005 Lab of the Year … more

Similar patterns of "noise" are evident in these two images. The images are taken directly after molecules have been split into entangled atom pairs. Each of the pictures shows … more

Boulder, Colo.— A full-scale quantum computer could produce reliable results even if its components performed no better than today’s best first-generation prototypes, according … more

The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) today released its final version of recommended security controls for federal information systems. The new … more

London, Feb. 14, 2005—It’s time to replace the 115-year-old kilogram artifact as the world's official standard for mass, even though experiments generally thought necessary … more

FY06 Budget Briefing by Under Secretary for Technology Phillip Bond and NIST Acting Director Hratch Semerjian (pdf) Budget Table More TA/NIST Budget Information View current status of FY 2006 … more

The two images above show the energy levels (vertical scale) and spatial positions (white lines) of electrons within a three-atom chain. The top image shows the calculated or theoretical … more

Carbon nanotubes (left) are applied to a NIST-developed pyroelectric detector (right) that may improve thermal conductivity and resistance to laser damage. Click here to download a … more

Photo of the NIST chip-scale magnetometer. The sensor is about as tall as a grain of rice. The widest block near the top of the device is an enclosed, transparent cell that holds a vapor of … more