National

Bureau of

Standards
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Malcolm Baldrige, Secretary

National Bureau of Standards

Ernest Ambler, Director

National Bureau of Standards

Gaithersburg, MD 20899

(301) 921-1000

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, CO 80303

(303) 497-3000

July 1984

NBS Special Publication 679

Library of Congress

Catalog Card Number:

84-601089

CODEN: XNBSAV
Contents

NBS Gaithersburg laboratories.

m

NBS Boulder laboratories.

Foreword 2 ^0f c

Center for Materials Science 3

o

7 \*

National Engineering Laboratory 7

z\

(4 o

tt

Center for Manufacturing Engineering 8

Center for Chemical Engineering 10

Center for Fire Research 12

Center for Building Technology 14

Center for Applied Mathematics 16

Center for Electronics and Electrical Engineering 18

National Measurement Laboratory

Center for Basic Standards

Center for Radiation Research

Center for Chemical Physics

Center for Analytical Chemistry

Office of Measurement Services

Office of Standard Reference Data

Institute for Computer Sciences and

Technology

21

22

24

26

28

30

32

34

38

39

Special Programs

International Affairs

Office of Research and Technology Applications 40

Office of Product Standards Policy 41

Resources 42

Directory 44

1
Foreword

hen the Bureau was established more than

80 years ago, it was given the specific

mission of aiding manufacturing, commerce,

government, and academia. Today, NBS remains the

only federal laboratory with the explicit goal of serving U.S. industry and science. This mission takes on

special significance now as the country responds to serious challenges to its industry and

manufacturing—challenges which call for industry,

universities, and government to pool their resources

in research and development. The U.S. Department

of Commerce has made industrial competitiveness a

cornerstone of its programs. As a Commerce Department agency, NBS provides the measurement

foundation that our changing industrial economy

needs, and thus is well-positioned to help the nation meet these challenges.

Each year over 500 university, industry, and gov- ernment people work in our laboratories, side by side

with NBS researchers. Most of these scientists and

engineers work at their own expense. For example,

1 55 research associates from private companies,

trade and professional associations, and other or- ganizations are conducting cooperative research at NBS now on projects of mutual interest. The sponsoring organizations provide the salaries of these re- search associates, while NBS makes its facilities and

staff available to the associates. These researchers

are joined by 325 visiting faculty and students, 43

postdoctoral research associates, and 34 inter- governmental personnel in exchange programs.

This person-to-person interaction is just an indi- cator of our close ties with those who rely on NBS

for assistance in laying the measurement groundwork for U.S. scientific and technological advancement. Each year we provide literally thousands of other opportunities for transferring the results of NBS

research to those who need to use them. We do so

by making technical presentations, issuing publications, sponsoring major conferences and workshops,

answering numerous inquiries for assistance, and

working with voluntary standards organizations. We

also offer a range of services to ensure the reliability of measurements and improve quality control, including calibrations for equipment and Standard Refer- ence Materials. Our cooperative programs are very much in the

spirit of today's National Science Policy. The Presi- dent's Science Advisor has emphasized the need to support the U.S. economy by expanding and

strengthening the partnerships among industry, gov- ernment, and universities. Likewise, the Panel of the White House Science Council on Federal Laboratories, also known as the Packard Committee, called

for new collaborative relationships. And Congress

has many times expressed its desire to see closer

relationships among industry, government, and universities. While we at NBS have a record of cooperation

that I am proud of, we intend to do more to pursue new avenues for joint research and services. For in- stance, the Bureau's research managers are encouraging even greater use of our research facilities by

outside institutions in order to make the most out of

this important national investment at NBS. For the

first time, we will be making some of our facilities available for private companies and others to use in conducting proprietary research. By increasing industry's access to our advanced measurement capabilities, we hope to help industry improve its products

and processes and thus its international competitiveness.

The NBS Automated Manufacturing Research Facility is an excellent example of the type of cooperative research we plan to encourage. NBS researchers have been joined by people from industry,

universities, and other government agencies to de- velop the quality control techniques and the software

interface standards needed for the unmanned factory

of the future. In another case, we are taking steps to increase our cooperation with industry and universities in devising new approaches for providing evalu- ated data suitably formatted for the computer-based

systems of the future. We are continuing to expand our cooperative re- search efforts because it is clear that this nation must plan for the future now by developing the measurement foundations that are and will be needed by

U.S. science and industry. This brochure describes some of the cooperative programs we have under- way as well as other work we are doing to improve

the nation's measurement capabilities.

Ernest Ambler

Director
Center for Materials Science

From ceramic tiles that shield the space shuttle to dental adhesives

which replace metal

fillings, new materials are revolutionizing

technology and everyday

life. NBS is at the

forefront of materials technology with its broad-based research

effort conducted by

the Center for Materials Science (CMS). The

Center provides measurements, data,

standards, reference materials, and other

technical information re- garding materials to industry, government

agencies, universities,

and other scientific or- ganizations. CMS re- search supports devel- opment of new and

improved materials which can be used

safely, efficiently, and

economically.

Scientist Donald

Hunston uses a mechanical testing

instrument to study

crack growth in advanced polymer matrix

composites to improve

the strength of resin

materials.
s part of its general program, the Center for Materials Science operates several

large facilities. One is a nuclear reactor dedicated to materials and radiation standards research. Another is a metals processing facility capable

of modifying surfaces with electron beams and by la- ser melting, as well as providing measurements

of sample quality and microstructure. Together with the Naval Research Laboratory, the Center is leading an effort to construct hard radiation branch

lines at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory. When completed,

this facility will permit unique experimental work

in materials characterization. These facilities are used extensively by guest scientists and re- search associates from academia and industrial re- search institutions from across the country.

In addition to managing and carrying out these facilities and programs, the Center supports funda- mental theoretical work in phase stability and materials fracture. This work is basic to all of the Center's

technical programs and to materials science re- search throughout the United States. The Center's research involves four technical "themes": materials processing, microstructure characterization, properties, and performance. Scientists from each Center division plan and coordinate activities in each of these areas. For example, there is a coordinated effort within the Center to measure, collect, and evaluate phase

diagram data for the processing of metal alloys, ceramics, and polymer blend materials. This information is used in the development of new

materials and the design of new materials pro- cesses. The Center, in collaboration with professional societies, periodically publishes phase di- agrams for alloys and ceramics and makes them

available to researchers and industrial users. A

large body of evaluated data is being converted into computerized files so that it will be available to users through on-line access. The Center's phase di- agram work is supported cooperatively by the American Society for Metals, the American Ceramics

Society, and the Society of Plastics Engineers.

Experimental results are compiled and evaluated by

authorities in 35 data centers throughout the

world. In addition to providing phase diagram data, the Center carries out experimental and theoretical research in support of the data program. An example of the Center's activity in microstructure characterization is the work carried out with

the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) apparatus at the research reactor. This apparatus is used

to study microstructure and flaw development in new structural ceramics, to observe precipitation

transformations in supersaturated metallic sys- tems, and to characterize molecular structure and

conformation in polymer blends. Similar work will be carried out with the NBS beam lines at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven.

Researchers will use real-time topography for kinetic studies of solidification; small-angle x-ray scattering for measurement of block copolymer structural features; and interface/inelastic spectroscopy

for characterizing multilayer metal-metal oxide coatings.

Research on the properties of materials focuses on wear characterization, measurements, and

standards for metals, ceramics, and polymer matrix composites. Researchers characterize metal-to- metal wear, under both clean and abrasive conditions, and the wear of lubricated surfaces. They

develop measurement methods for wear-resistant

materials and provide reference materials for calibration of wear tests. Center scientists are in- vestigating the erosion of refractory materials by

experimentally observing the effects of single particle indentation. Their research has also shown that

In the metals pro- cessing laboratory,

physicist Robert

Schaefer uses an elec- tron beam surface

melting technique to produce alloy coatings on metals for improved

resistance to wear and

corrosion. A close up

shows the electron

beam melting a metal

surface (detail).
the wear of a polymer matrix composite is influenced by ambient liquids which soften the matrix. Performance is a crucial characteristic of all materials. A major materials performance problem is environmentally induced cracking. For example,

stress corrosion can cause cracking in engineering alloys; hydrogen embrittlement can crack

high-strength steels; cracking in glasses and ce- ramics is often induced by water vapor; and environ- mental stresses can crack ethylene-based plastics. Toward the goal of reducing such damage,

Center researchers establish the basic mechanisms of the cracking processes and develop test methods to determine the failure resistance of various materials.

In addition to these broad-based research activities, the Center conducts specific research

projects such as development of a cold neutron source facility for advanced materials research. The

facility is being designed to contain a low- background-radiation experimental hall and up to 15 new instrument stations. It will be managed and

operated as a national research facility for industrial, university, and government scientists. Cold neutron beams can augment research in vir- tually every branch of materials science. Some

of the experiments planned for the new facility will focus on the magnetic properties of new ad- vanced alloys; the growth of cracks and nature of voids in new advanced ceramics; the distribution of dopants in advanced semiconductor materials; de- velopment of new catalytic materials for petroleum refining; and measurement of the size and

shape of engineered biomolecules.

Among the materials of the future are advanced

high-performance ceramics. The Center has be- gun to investigate the relationships among the synthesis, microstructure, properties, and per- formance of these ceramic materials. In their initial work, researchers are emphasizing new chemical approaches to synthesizing the submicron, multi- component powders needed by industry to pro- duce such complex ceramics. They have established

laboratory facilities to study the synthesis and

characterization of ceramics which are important to industry. They are also studying various properties of finished ceramics and are developing a unique

program to measure high-temperature wear

characteristics of ceramics.

Another class of future materials is polymer

composites. Polymers reinforced with high-strength

fibers such as graphite or glass have out- standing strength and stiffness for their weight. They

are being used extensively in aerospace applications and will be used increasingly in automobiles

and construction. The Center is developing measurement methods to investigate and control composite processing in order to aid industry in controlling quality while increasing production efficiency.

CMS is also investigating the mechanisms by

which fiber-reinforced composites fail. The test methods and data being produced by this program

should lead to improved composite materials and

better ways to predict the materials' useful ser- vice lives. One of the fastest growing segments of the polymer industry is the production of polymer blends,

which are mixtures of two or more polymers.

These materials are particularly useful as engineering

plastics that can replace metals in products

such as gears, pumps, and machine housings. When

a polymer blend is processed, the component

polymers phase separate, and the mechanical properties of the finished blend depend on the mor- phology of the phase-separated structure. The Center's program focusing on polymer blends will provide phase diagrams to industry. These diagrams

will show the ranges of miscibility with respect to concentration and temperatures; measurement methods that will detect the degree of miscibility of two polymers; and data on the rates of diffusion of one polymer in another under processing conditions. Researchers also will study the mechanism by

which polymers separate from each other, using the small-angle neutron scattering facility. In addition to advanced ceramics and poly- mers, electro-optic materials help perform many of the dream feats of forward-thinking engineers.

CMS has begun a program to measure the optical

properties of thin film materials and to study

their dependence on processing characteristics. This

research will contribute scientific knowledge to the ongoing effort to improve the performance of materials in optical information processing de- vices and systems.

In the future, many products using advanced

materials may be produced in automated manufacturing facilities. These facilities will use

nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques to monitor product quality. Advanced NDE techniques can now monitor important material properties and

product parameters. The Center's NDE program

is developing the science base, measurement methods, and standards that will be needed to use

Here dental technician Karen

Jennings places

artificial teeth in wax

on the frame of a partial plate in the NBS/

ADAHF laboratories.

The teeth will have

cavities filled with

composite materials

for a study to improve

the wear of dental fill- ings.
Physical scientist Robert L. Parke

prepares a sample of

rapidly solidified alloy

powder in a vacuum

dry box. The material

will be tested in the

metals processing lab- oratory.

NDE for process control in automated manufacturing

plants. Work in this area also helps enhance

product inspection methods which are now used in manufacturing.

The trend toward automated manufacturing is also expected to affect welding. NBS is collaborating

with industry in establishment of the American Welding Technology Application Center (AWTAC),

which will study advanced welding technology and

disseminate information about it. One of AWTAC's programs will focus on automated welding.

NBS will study how flaws are formed during this welding process by conducting controlled solidi- fication experiments in model materials. The ex- periments will use acoustic emission and ultrasonic techniques to detect flaws as they are formed in the welded material. These experiments should lead

to better control of defect formation, more effective feedback control for thick-section weld auto- mation, and improved weld efficiencies for specific processes. Many of the Center's prominent research activities are carried out in cooperation with industrial organizations, which support the work of re- search associates at the Bureau. For example, Ex- xon has supported research in characterizing

polymer blends with small-angle neutron scattering;

General Electric has used NBS' unique time do- main dielectric spectrometer for polymer measurements; and Martin Marietta has cooperated in characterizing resins used on the space shuttle. Ongoing cooperative programs involve:

The American Society for Metals—evaluation and

dissemination of computerized alloy phase dia- grams and bibliographic information worldwide with funding support from industry.

The American Ceramic Society—establishment of computer access to phase diagrams and dis- semination of phase diagrams of interest to ceramists. The American Ceramic Society will de- velop industry support and disseminate the phase

diagrams and related information. The Society for Plastics Engineersdevelopment and dissemination of data on thermodynamic behavior of polymer blends. This information will be published through the

National Standard Reference Data System at NBS.

The American Iron and Steel Institute- research aimed at development of process control sensors for the steel industry. The joint program

concentrates on rapid on-line measurement of temperature distributions and automatic detection of porosity in hot steel. The National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE)—provision of evaluated corrosion

data on alloys and other materials. NBS pro- vides technical guidance and NACE develops pro- gram and funding support from industry.

The American Dental Association—development

of dramatically improved tooth restorative adhesives and more effective fluoridation treatments based on understanding of tooth mineral phase

diagrams. This research is part of a 53-year-old co- operative program partly supported by the National Institute of Dental Research.

The American Welding Technology Application Center (AWTAC)—establishment of the AWTAC/NBS

Welding Data Bank for rapid dissemination of welding data to U.S. industry and improvement of narrow gap, thick-plate welding processes in or- der to increase industrial productivity.

The Welding Research Council —development

of improved weld procedure qualification methods.

The Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards-International Centre for Diffraction Data (JCPDS-ICDD)—critical evaluation of powder dif- fraction data, measurement of reference data, and

dissemination of results. The JCPDS-ICDD pro- vides funding support through sales of the Powder

Diffraction File. They also disseminate publications and a computer file from the Crystal Data Center maintained by NBS.
National Engineering Laboratory

KEEP UPR'GHT

j

DO NOT DROf

From basic studies of the subtle behavior of microelectronic circuits to their work in engineering standards, the

staff of the National Engineering Laboratory

(NEL) apply their expertise in engineering

and scientific measurement to a broad

spectrum of national concerns. NEL scientists and

engineers conduct re- search in engineering

and the applied sci- ences. They study

problems in electronics,

automation and manufacturing, chemical engineering, the behavior (and prevention) of

fires, and the design

and construction of buildings. NEL re- searchers also provide

the nation with state- of-the-art measurement

and calibration ser- vices in these areas. Their research and

services in applied mathematical and computer sciences support

technical programs

throughout the Bureau. To provide a more

precise voltage

reference for maintaining the U.S. legal volt, NBS is exploring the use of superconducting microelectronic cir- cuits. Here, electronics

engineer Richard Kautz

lowers a prototype into a liquid helium dewar

for testing.
Center for Manufacturing Engineering

t

espite tremendous changes that it has un- dergone during the last few decades,

manufacturing remains a mainstay of the

nation's economy. With the development and appli- cation of new technology, this sector can continue to compete with foreign producers and contribute to the

country's new economic growth. The NBS Center for Manufacturing Engineering (CME) is supporting the

U.S. mechanical manufacturing community in its drive to advance technologically.

Through its calibration services, the Center pro- vides manufacturers with convenient access to national standards of mass, force, and length, as well as derived quantities such as acoustic pressure, acceleration, and sound power. The Center works to extend and improve the national standards applica- ble to mechanical manufacturing, and in doing so

provides technical support to the voluntary standards

community. Its research program encompasses mea- surement science, precision engineering, and soft- ware development. The goal of the program is to de- velop a base of knowledge and services which

reflects state-of-the-art technology.

Much of the Center's research involves the ad- vancement of measurement science in support of the Bureau's calibration services. Of particular inter- est in this field is surface characterization: the study

of the mechanical roughness of surfaces. The de- gree of surface roughness is important in a wide vari- ety of products. Roughness can affect the appear- ance of automobile bodies and the life of ball bearings. It can affect how vehicles move through air or water, and can even be a factor in maintaining the

sterility of food processing equipment.

NBS has long provided industry with standard measures of the heights of peaks and depths of valleys of surfaces. Many surface properties, however, depend on the distance between peaks,

which is difficult for scientists to describe and little understood. CME scientists are using lasers and

computer modeling to devise new ways of describing

and measuring surfaces. As a result of this work,

NBS has issued some new transfer standards which

are more highly characterized than their predecessors. For the first time, NBS is beginning to relate

Physicist Ted

Vorburger uses

a measurement

system designed at NBS to evaluate the

roughness of the sur- face of a test speci- men. The specimen will become a new NBS

Standard Reference

Material for surface

roughness and may be

used by researchers in industries such as semiconductor manufacture and optics to improve the quality of

their measurements.
Here researchers

are at work on the

control systems for an automated work station, part of the Auto- mated Manufacturing

Research Facility. This

single work station, in- cluding an automated

machine tool, industrial robot, and computer

vision system, uses 16

computers.

an item's measured surface properties to its per- formance when the item is used as intended.

In a similar effort, the Center is using new

technology to improve the usefulness of nondestructive evaluation techniques. Using ultra- sonics, scientists can detect internal flaws in materials and structures with unprecedented accuracy. NBS has developed new standards that permit in- creased uniformity of measurements, resulting in enhanced quality. In order to develop both the nondestructive evaluation and the surface characterization techniques, Center scientists have undertaken

a considerable amount of theoretical study

aimed at understanding the physical phenomena on which the measurements are based.

While maintaining its traditional support and ser- vices for the manufacturing community, the Center has taken an unusual step to help industry and

government cope with a revolutionary change in manufacturing technology: automated manufacturing.

In cooperation with the Department of Defense,

NBS is developing an Automated Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF), scheduled to be fully operational in 1986. The ARMF, a unique research

facility, is designed to emulate the factory of the

future. It consists of a number of work stations, each

of which has a numerically controlled machine

tool and a robot. The work stations are organized

into cells, which are supplied by a material handling system and controlled by a computer network. The individual work stations will provide a realistic environment for testing new concepts, such as

deterministic metrology, which could lead to more efficient and less costly manufacturing techniques. The deterministic metrology concept applies the idea of process control, long used in the chemical industry, to mechanical manufacturing.

In an automated manufacturing environment, there is a fully deterministic cause-and-effect relationship

between process parameters and product quality. In an automated facility, modern sensor and micro- processor technology can be used to monitor the process parameters, and adaptive control tech- niques can be applied to ensure that process parameters do not vary beyond assigned limits. Applying this process control technique to automated

manufacturing should ensure that each finished product is of high quality. By automating quality control in this manner, manufacturers could elimi- nate the time-consuming and costly process of in- specting products as they come off the assembly line. The AMRF uses control architecture that was

developed by NBS. It permits a uniform set of inter- faces between units. Its data-driven software al- lows the use of disparate machines and computers,

as well as simple programming for a very di- verse part mix. This control structure can be implemented either in hardware or in a computer emulation package which allows new configurations to be tested before the hardware is installed. The

control structure uses artificial intelligence concepts

of state-table programming and expert systems.

Even while it is still being built, the AMRF has be- come the focal point for joint research efforts in- volving a dozen industrial firms and several universities. These efforts concern various problems

that are expected to rise as automated manufacturing becomes widely adopted. The Bureau

faces the problem of fulfilling demands for readily ac- cessible new national standards; the automated

manufacturing environment will outdate current transfer standards and protocols. Industry and the Department of Defense will face difficulties in adopting the new automated technology, which will require transfer of control and status information among computer systems which currently share no uniform language, uniform format, or interface standards. Universities face the problem of teaching students about the new manufacturing technology. The subject straddles traditional de- partmental divisions, and the equipment needed for research and training is extremely expensive.

The NBS facility will permit researchers from industry, government, and academia to work together

in determining how to improve the use of automated

technology.

9
Center for Chemical Engineering

o improve the design and control of chemical processes, to assure equity in do- mestic and international trade, and to strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. industry in the world market, the chemical process industry

needs accurate measurements and reliable data- bases. The NBS Center for Chemical Engineering

(CCE) is working to provide industry with the necessary measurements and databases through its re- search in chemical process metrology, thermophysical properties of fluids and solids, and chemical

engineering science. The results of these efforts in- clude calibration and other measurement services,

measurement practices and standards, and engineering data. The Center's current program is mainly aimed at the chemical, petrochemical, plastic, and petroleum

industries. Its research is also useful in the manufacture of related products such as paper, rubber,

metals, and glass.

Since the prices of natural gas and oil began to escalate, the industry has sought more precise ways

to measure these fuels. NBS has developed a

unique way to make precise gas flow measurements

on a mass flow basis. The mass flow facility in Boulder has flow capability up to 1 5-cm-diameter test sections in cryogenic pipelines. A large heat ex- changer is used to vaporize liquid nitrogen for gas

flow tests at room temperature and high pressure. The gas is condensed into a liquid and is weighed as

a liquid, providing better than normal accuracy. The

Gas Research Institute is sponsoring testing of ori- fice meters with this technique. The American Petro- leum Institute is supporting a companion program at NBS in Gaithersburg to improve liquid and gas flow measurements using orifice meters. Another industrial trend to which CCE has re- sponded is the increased use of slurries for the pro- cessing of various solids such as biomass, foods, pa- per pulp, coal, and shale. Coal slurries, made from

pulverized coal mixed with water, can be used to make synthetic fuels and can also be used for electric power generation in fluidized bed combustion.

The Center anticipates offering slurry flow calibration

10

services to U.S. industry. As a step toward that goal, the Center recently commissioned a small research- grade slurry flow apparatus. The apparatus is being

used to determine various aspects of slurry flows,

such as pressure drop, critical settling velocity, packing, blockage, and flow modes.

To minimize expenditures on high-priced fuel, U.S.

industry is interested in obtaining the maximum en- ergy output from fuel combustion. Advanced methods of measuring and evaluating combustion are necessary for this effort to succeed. The Center is pursuing new ways to improve combustion efficiency

by monitoring soot formation. Center researchers are

using laser scattering, extinction, and Doppler velo- cimetry to determine the size of soot particles, their

distribution, and their velocity. In soot formation studies, researchers want to know how to adjust the

flame, oxygen, and fuel levels to form the optimum

amount of soot and then allow the proper amount of time for the soot to burn out. These studies can lead

to improved performance of boilers, dryers, and fur- naces. To optimize the performance of high-temperature

industrial processes, engineers must have accurate ways to measure the high temperatures involved in such processes. To help meet this need, a Center

researcher invented a new optical fiber thermometer.

The invention won one of the prestigious IR-100 awards in 1 983. The main part of the thermometer is a single-crystal sapphire fiber 20 cm long and 1/2

mm in diameter. The sapphire tip is coated with an

iridium film, which is in turn coated with an aluminum

oxide ablative film. The iridium forms a blackbody

emitter and emits axially up the sapphire fiber. The

axial radiance provides a reliable, repeatable, and

accurate indication of temperature. This thermometer

may extend the current NBS temperature standard

scale from 1770 K to 2270 K, and could improve nu- merous industrial chemical process and manufacturing systems.

In other work, CCE recently correlated almost all of the existing quality data on water and steam with a wide-ranging equation of state now known as the

Harr-Gallagher-Kell equation. It has been carefully

checked and tentatively accepted by the Inter- national Association for the Properties of Steam.

Using an optical

probe system,

research scientist Andrej Macek measures the temperature

in a laboratory

fluidized-bed combustion chamber. The

probe will permit in- dustrial operators to monitor the interiors of

full-size furnaces.
J

This information is used throughout industry to design process and power plants.

Other important data are being provided to industry through a new computer program called TRAPP,

for Transport Properties Prediction. This program

predicts the viscosity, density, and thermal conductivity of various fluid mixtures. NBS is making the pro- gram available to the public through the Office of Standard Reference Data. The Center recently formed an industrial consortium of nine private firms and initiated its own lab- oratory work to investigate supercritical extraction. This program will investigate the properties of supercritical fluids, such as carbon dioxide, which can be

used as a solvent to dissolve large amounts of other

fluids such as crude oil (in oil recovery operations).

By lowering the pressure of the mixture, the solute

can be recovered (separated) and the solvent can be

reclaimed to be used again. The use of supercritical

fluids could reduce the cost of chemical separations

in many other industrial processes. The use of various types of membranes to separate mixtures could lead to improved energy and

equipment efficiencies. The Center is conducting

both theoretical and experimental studies to provide reference data and methods of measuring the per- formance of different types of membranes. Emulsion

liquid membranes are being modeled to determine

the effects of geometry, time, solubility constants,

diffusion coefficients, and forward and reverse reaction rates on mass transfer rates.

Liquid membranes

are used to separate various components of mixtures. In this work, the membrane is in the form of

tiny globules of an

emulsion suspended in the mixture. The membrane selectivity trans- ports the component

of interest into the in- terior of the globule

and the globules can

later be physically sep- arated from the re- maining mixture. Shari

Hanson, a chemical en- gineering co-op stu- dent from New Mexico

State University, digi- tizes a photomicrograph of the sus- pension to determine

the size distribution of

the globules.

11
Center for Fire Research

he United States has one of the worst fire loss records in the industrialized world. The NBS Center for Fire Research (CFR) is committed to providing the scientific and engineering

bases needed by manufacturers and standards and

codes communities to reduce both these losses and

the cost of fire protection.

By improving the understanding of the chemistry

and physics that take place during combustion and

by developing accurate computer models of fire hazards, the Center provides technical information to voluntary standards organizations, engineering and

design communities, building industry, fire service and fire protection organizations, and materials manufacturers. The Center also helps these groups to translate the findings into new engineering practices,

test methods, and proposals for improved standards

or code provisions. NBS, however, does not pro- mulgate or enforce standards or regulations.

One of the most complex and yet crucial phenomena affecting fire growth is soot formation. It is incan- descent soot, radiating thermal energy to convert fur- nishings or construction materials into gaseous fuels, that drives fire growth. Soot also affects people's

survivability in fires, both from inhalation and the obstruction of vision. Yet the same particles are the fire "signature" that activates the now-common smoke

detectors. Center scientists are conducting a long- term study of the fundamental chemistry and physics

of soot formation to provide the understanding nec- essary to improve sooting performance of burning

materials. They have devised new, laser-based tech- niques for measuring key molecules in the chemical

chain of soot growth. Using multiphoton ionization measurements researchers can detect certain or- ganic species, such as butadiene, throughout the flame itself. They have also obtained profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using ultraviolet and

visible fluorescence. Concurrent theoretical calculations on the "stickiness" of aromatic molecules

have further clarified which chemistry is significant in building soot particles from small molecules. Perhaps the topic of most concern in fire research

today is that of fire gas toxicity. Most fire deaths are caused by the inhalation of smoke. Carbon monoxide, a combustion product of most burning materials,

has been widely considered as the primary cause of these deaths. Recent laboratory tests and analyses

of samples from some fire victims, however, have

suggested that other toxicants or factors may contribute to some deaths. Building on a decade of lead- ership in measuring the lethal effects of fire- generated smoke, CFR researchers are now studying the extent to which the generation rates of a few

principal toxic gases can be used to predict mortality.

The results of experiments with carbon monoxide,

carbon dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride,

and reduced oxygen levels are well on their way to explaining the lethality of fire gases. Center researchers are also creating ways to predict the precise contribution of materials to a fire's severity. Their recently developed oxygen con- sumption technique greatly simplifies the measurement of a burning sample's rate of energy re- lease, a key factor in the rate of fire growth. This

Physical scientist Randall Lawson

adjusts instrumentation on the Bureau's

furniture calorimeter,

part of an NBS-developed method to measure the rate at which

heat is released by

burning furnishings.

The heat release rate

in large part determines how a material

will contribute to a room fire.

12
Barbara Levin, re- search biologist,

prepares an experiment aimed at establishing in a measurable

way the relative contribution of smoke toxicity to the overall hazards of fire.

method is now used to measure the heat given off by furniture and wall coverings during full-size room

fires. A Center-designed instrument, the cone cal- orimeter, operates on the same principle and shows

exceptional promise for predicting the large-scale

rate of heat release using small samples. By includ- ing such factors as the mass, shape, and materials

of upholstered furniture, researchers seem to be able

to predict peak energy release values. The benefits

of this capability to materials developers and building

designers alike are significant.

Predicting fire growth requires a fundamental un- derstanding of elemental fire processes, such as

flame spread, and the characterization of fire- induced flows. Methods have been developed to correlate the speed at which flame spreads across and

down a burning vertical surface with the basic ther- mal properties of the burning materials. Measurements of flame height and flame radiation are now providing key information in our understanding

of upward flame spread, a faster and therefore more

critical process. The buoyancy-driven flow of fire

gases through doors and open windows and their re- placement by ventilation air is now predictable. Ventilation and the rate of heat release of the fuel are the primary factors which determine if and when a room

will "flashover," a term used to describe the total fire involvement of all items in a room.

Information obtained through tests like these is used in mathematical models designed to predict the

vulnerability of a building and its occupants to fire. These computer-based models make it possible to replicate real fire situations within a limited budget. It

is far less costly to "burn" a room or building using a computer. Center researchers are now designing a

true general purpose model of fire hazard. It will in- clude the burning behavior of a room, the movement

of fire gases throughout a building, and the effect of those gases on people. By using such a model, fire professionals will be able to study "their fire" on a computer, varying each component as needed, and

making quantitative decisions for improving fire safety.

One prediction model is already available. Termed

ASET (Available Safe Egress Time), the computer

code incorporates sound but simplified single-room

fire growth. It calculates the time at which a smoke

detector is activated and the time at which the room becomes uninhabitable. The difference between

these two events is the time that the inhabitants of the room have to escape. More widespread and proper use of sprinkler sys- tems could significantly reduce fire losses. To assure

their efficacy, better operational and design criteria are needed. The Center has recently produced a computer program for calculating the response time

of heat-activated sprinklers. To the behavior of a

small fire in a single room, the model adds the lo- cation and thermal properties of both heat detectors and sprinklers heads. The predicted temperatures at those sites agree well with steady-state laboratory

tests. Large-scale tests with growing fires are planned to establish the range of applicability of the computer code. The Center for Fire Research also sponsors a pro- gram of grants and, to a lesser degree, contracts for

fire research in support of the internal research pro- gram of the Center. Approximately 30 grants are awarded to universities and research institutes annually.

13
Center for Building Technology

he safety and comfort of virtually all Ameri- cans depends on the design and per- formance of the buildings in which we live and work. The federal government helps advance

building technology and improve building practices

through the NBS Center for Building Technology

(CBT), the nation's building research laboratory.

CBT performs field, laboratory, and analytical re- search to gain an understanding of the properties of building materials, components, systems, and practices, and develops measurement techniques to evaluate those properties. It assists the building community in the application of advanced computation

and automation technology. Working with other pri- vate and public organizations, the Center provides

technical support to groups which develop building

standards, codes, and regulations.

One major focus of CBT's research is computeraided design. Computers can be used to help design new buildings, assess the quality of new and existing

buildings, diagnose problems, and monitor changes

in building performance. CBT is developing measurements for building diagnostics and quality assur- ance using dedicated microprocessors to assess complex properties. The Center is also working on

information interface standards to permit various

manufacturers, trade associations, and professional

organizations to cooperate in developing information systems used in computer-aided design, construction, and operation. As part of this effort, the Center

is developing a standard analysis, synthesis, and ex- pression (SASE) computer program which will help

develop and test building standards and expert sys- tems.

Failure to design buildings to meet structural loads can result in tragedy. When major building failures occur in the United States, NBS experts are often

called upon to provide third party evaluations. These

investigations provide the basis for improving future

building practices.

NBS participated in the investigation of the 1981

collapse of two suspended walkways in the Kansas

City, Missouri, Hyatt Regency Hotel which caused

114 deaths and 185 injuries. NBS also investigated a

14

1982 Indiana bridge collapse which killed 13 workers, and the 1981 Harbour Cay Condominium col- lapse which killed 12 workers in Cocoa Beach, Florida.The Center's building structure and safety re- search has been incorporated in a new standard,

American National Standard A58, Minimum Design

Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, which is used as a basic resource by authorities in pro- mulgating both model and actual building codes. The

standard contains a new load reduction procedure

based on survey data obtained and analyzed by

NBS.

Not only must buildings be designed to withstand

normal loads, but they must also be resistant to earthquake damage. In response to the Earthquake

Hazards Reduction Act of 1977, NBS has established a national earthquake hazards reduction pro- gram. Center researchers are studying the strength

and energy-absorption characteristics of structural and geotechnical materials and systems. The pro- gram aims to develop improved design criteria and

standards for new and existing buildings.

Building quality can be enhanced not only through

structural design but also through improvements in thermal, lighting, and acoustic design. These three areas are being investigated by CBT's building physics program. In the thermal design program, re- searchers have recently developed a guarded hotplate, which accurately characterizes thermal

Caroline Harner, a co-op student

from the University of Maryland, inserts a sample of a cement

component into an iso- thermal calorimeter to measure the rate at which heat is released

during hydration reactions.
Kyle Woodward, a research structural engineer, studies data

from a computerdirected test facility.

The special tri- directional facility is part of the Bureau's earthquake hazards

prevention research.

insulation to thicknesses of 300 mm. The NBS

guarded hot-plate is used to measure precisely insulation materials that in turn are used to calibrate similar devices in other laboratories throughout the

world. A new NBS calibrated hot-box facility provides

precise thermal measurement on full-scale building

walls. Building acoustics researchers in the Center are developing test methods to measure the acoustic

power emitted by sources and building components;

propagation of acoustic energy in enclosed spaces;

and the effects of boundary conditions on acoustic

energy flow and reverberation time. Building illu- mination researchers are working toward devel- opment of cost-effective, energy-conserving lighting

systems by identifying the physical characteristics of

lighting which contribute to visual performance; conducting research on visual performance at supra- threshold levels; determining how daylight can be

used for indoor illumination; and developing ways to predict and measure these parameters.

The CBT building equipment program focus on en- ergy management and control systems will be highlighted with installation of such a system in a convenient test site location: the NBS Administration

Building. Center researchers are working to predict the performance of energy management and control systems; measure the properties of components and

systems; and develop guidelines for efficiently operating and maintaining these automated systems. The

researchers in the building equipment program are

also developing improved measurement techniques

for characterizing refrigerants, as well as analytical

and test procedures for evaluating the performance

of active and passive solar heating and cooling sys- tems, components, and materials. One basic material used in a variety of building de- signs is cement. NBS is developing mathematical

models to predict the reactions of cements in concrete, in order to predict how concrete may be

strengthened as a function of starting material characteristics, mixture proportions, the nature and quantities of additives, and temperature and curing conditions. Not only cements but also concretes, coating sys- tems, and steel coatings are the subjects of CBT's

research effort to enhance the quality of building materials. As part of this program, the Center operates two materials laboratories with sponsoring or- ganizations. These laboratories provide proficiency

samples, inspections, and field test methods to 580

other laboratories throughout the United States. A number of years ago, CBT began investigating

epoxy coatings for steel reinforcing bars to be used

in concrete bridge decks. Uncoated reinforcing bars

are often corroded by the deicing salts used on

bridges. As a result of the NBS testing and evaluation effort, more than 1,000 bridge decks using the new reinforcing bar coatings have been constructed

in the United States. These bridge decks are ex- pected to last more than twice as long as their pre- decessors.

15
Center for Applied Mathematics

n nearly all the Bureau's research pro- grams, and in laboratories throughout the United States, there is a substantial need

for advanced mathematical, statistical, modeling, and

computing techniques. It is the role of the NBS Center for Applied Mathematics (CAM) to provide the best available tools of modern applied mathematics

and computing to the NBS staff. Such tools, devel- oped at NBS, are often used widely by American and

foreign researchers.

In providing its support service, the Center's pro- fessional staff interacts and collaborates with the sci- entific staff of NBS technical programs, and operates

the NBS central computing facility. Center researchers are aided in their work by visiting specialists from

industry, government, and universities. While schooled in theory, NBS mathematicians

have their feet firmly planted on the ground of appli- cations. They are concerned primarily with devel- oping and adapting mathematical techniques for NBS

research programs. Their work takes them into the areas of space science, robotics, fire research, economics, manufacturing, measurement, and devel- opment of new hardware and software for future computers.

One recently completed project helps fire re- searchers understand how indoor fires behave. The

Center developed, tested, and validated a mathematical model of fluid motion and smoke evolution patterns for an indoor fire. Researchers tested calculations based on both two- and three-dimensional

models. Using high-resolution dynamic graphics to display the particles, researchers achieved new in- sights into the dynamic features of the model.

The dynamic graphics display used in this project

allowed researchers to observe the swirling motion

of heated air on a computer display screen. The sys- tem, developed at the Center, allows users to cycle

rapidly through any sequence of graphic figures stored in the computer, moving them around in al- most any way and observing them from many angles. As the pictures appear to rotate three- dimensionally on the computer screen, new patterns can be perceived. The researcher can "zoom in" to study details, or "zoom away" to take in the larger view. Soon after its recent introduction, the Center's new

graphics display system became popular throughout

NBS, providing new ways to study a variety of phe- nomena. The Center for Materials Science used it to develop dynamic displays of polymer chains and molecular structures. The Center for Chemical Engineering used it to observe time-dependent vi- brations of a solid crystal from which energy is steadily drained. The need for highly sophisticated "three- dimensional" dynamic computer graphics display is also present in the Bureau's robotics research. In or- der for robot-like machines to operate in an auto- mated manufacturing facility, their grippers must be

able to move through space without colliding. The

Center is working with the Bureau's Center for Manufacturing Engineering to develop software algorithms

and computer techniques which will describe, manipulate, and control objects in space. They are constructing methods for determining piecewise linear paths through regions without obstructions.

Mathematician

James Blue

(standing), CAM, and

Charles Wilson, CEEE,

developed a new computer model , CS 1, which brings so- phisticated mathematical analysis tech- niques to a semiconductor model effi- cient enough to run on

a minicomputer.

16
J

In performing this research, mathematicians are

using the Voronoi diagram, which divides the avail- able space into cells. Then the trajectory software searches adjacent cells to determine the path se- quence. Using this tool, the researchers can construct trajectories with a minimum of computational

effort and cost. Another CAM project applicable to manufacturing concerns the production of high-quality metal alloys

and semiconductors. In a manufacturing method

known as unidirectional solidification, it is necessary

to exert careful control over the degree of solute segregation at the liquid-solid interface. Under certain conditions, the planar interface can become unstable and deformed, causing production of a solid with non-uniform concentration. Collaborating with scientists from the Center for Materials Science and Carnegie-Mellon University,

NBS mathematicians developed a model that permits

numerical calculation of curved interfaces, concentrations, and temperature fields relevant to this production method. Using this model, engineers can now

study the dependence of the solute segregation on

the processing variables in unprecedented detail. CAM has also developed models which aid in a

different area of manufacturing: the development of complex, custom integrated circuits for advanced

computers and other electronics systems. This highly

competitive field of endeavor depends on efficient computer-aided design tools. Cooperating with the Center for Electronics and Electrical Engineering,

NBS mathematicians are developing a family of specialized computer packages which can be run on

minicomputers. One package offers features which were previously available only in codes which re- quired large mainframe computers. The CS 1 package has been provided to more than 80 users since 1982.

In addition to its important role in the development

of advanced manufacturing techniques, applied

mathematics plays a crucial role in space technology. Center researchers recently resolved a

25-year-old theoretical debate concerning satellite orbits. In cooperation with the Naval Research Laboratory and the State University of Utrecht, Holland,

they have justified why a satellite at certain inclina- tions maintains its perigee stationary. The result will make it easier for engineers to control the tra- jectories of time and communications satellites.

In other recent work, the Center has: Streamlined the dissemination of alloy phase stability data to industrial users, through development of an interactive computer program which generates

camera-ready diagrams.

Helped implement four measurement assurance pilot programs at the Ford Motor Company Central Research Laboratory.

Helped develop a method for selecting an optimal

small set of artifacts to be used as Standard Refer- ence Materials for estimating the systematic error of a user's linewidth measuring system, so that fabri- cation of a linewidth wafer standard could begin.

Developed a model which helps state and local governments to evaluate the costs of proposed waste recovery facilities. Developed and distributed a graphics and statistics interactive language system called DATAPLOT, now

used at more than 100 sites including major industrial firms. Mathematician

Sally Howe is developing algorithms

and software for robot

motion planning that

will be used in the Bureau's Automated Manufacturing Research

Facility.

17
Center for Electronics and Electrical Engineering

he scope of research in the Center for Electronics and Electrical Engineering

(CEEE) extends quite literally from the sand

to the stars. Grains of sand are the genesis of silicon-based integrated circuits, the "miracle chips"

of the computer industry and one major focus of CEEE's work. Distant stars emitting radio signals are used by Center scientists to evaluate advanced tele- communications and satellite equipment, a second

emphasis of the Center's research.

In these areas, and others, Center researchers are working to eliminate measurement-related barriers to the effective use of electrotechnology in a wide

range of applications that are important to industrial productivity, national defense, safety, energy, and commerce. To fulfill this goal, they conduct research,

develop measurement methods and physical stan- dards, provide calibration and special test services,

and develop models and data. The Center's research is concentrated in four major areas: Metrological problems with semiconductor materials and processes, fabricated semiconductor devices,

and advanced integrated circuitry. Improved techniques for measuring electric power

and energy, fast high-energy transients, and the

quality of electrical insulation. Fundamental metrology for fast signal acquisition,

processing, and transmission, covering the analog

and digital techniques and frequencies from direct current through microwave to lightwave.

Methods for measuring and characterizing the elec- tromagnetic environment, sources and reflectors of electromagnetic energy, and immunity of equipment

to outside interference. At the cutting edge of microprocessor technology

development is the very large scale integrated circuit (VLSI), which could provide much more rapid computing and information processing at a lower cost per

function. Before the full potential of VLSI can be real- ized, however, engineers must overcome significant technical barriers related to materials purity, de- manding fabrication technology, and circuit complexity. To address these barriers, CEEE is developing

measurements and standards for evaluating the quality of semiconductor materials and the performance

of integrated circuit fabrication equipment, fabrication

18

processes, and device circuit elements and packages. As part of this effort, the Center has prepared four new Standard Reference Materials (SRM's) for cali- brating the equipment used to make spreading re- sistance measurements on silicon specimens. Together with earlier-developed SRM's for four-probe

measurements, these SRM's should help engineers

obtain more accurate measurements of resistivity, which has been identified as the single most im- portant parameter in fabricating circuits from silicon. As computer technology spreads throughout the

world, and international trade increases, the need for international standards becomes critical. NBS has

played a key role in bringing together all five of the

free-world organizations that write test-method stan- dards for semiconductor materials so these methods

may have a common basis in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

NBS has disseminated its technique for measuring

linewidths on photomasks, which are an essential

part of the fabrication of most integrated circuits, to

virtually every U.S. manufacturer of integrated circuits and the optical equipment used to make photomasks. CEEE recently completed its sixth and sev- enth in a series of training seminars which have

been attended by more than 400 representatives of more than 100 organizations.

In other work aimed at advancing knowledge of in- tegrated circuits, the Center has developed and char- acterized integrated circuit test structures. These devices are widely used by the semiconductor industry

and other government agencies to characterize fabri- cation processes, evaluate the effectiveness of pro- cessing equipment, and obtain crucial parameters for device and process models.

More than 90 organizations in industry, govern- ment, and academia have requested CEEE's re- cently developed computer code used to calculate the electrical characteristics of self-aligned, silicon- gate short-channel MOS (metal-oxide-semiconductor) transistors. This code is being used for the computer-aided design and analysis of the transis- tors required for developing VLSI circuits.

In a related area of semiconductor development,

the Electronic Industries Association has adopted the NBS technique for measuring the operating temperature of power MOSFET's (metal-oxidesemiconductor field-effect-transistors) as a preferred

Technician Mike

Thomas inspects a

silicon specimen

through the microscope of a spreading

resistance instrument.

A photomicrograph

(detail) shows a pair of spreading resistance

probes poised just

above the surface of a

silicon test specimen.

Reflections of the

probes may also be seen in the photo. The

separation between

the two probes is 25

micrometers, or about

1/3 the width of a hu- man hair.
procedure, and has included it in a handbook on the

subject.

Increasingly faster and more complex semiconductor integrated circuits have made the information age possible, and now technology needs corre- spondingly advanced systems to acquire, process, and transmit mind-boggling amounts of data. The

systems responding to these new demands include

test instrumentation and radar systems used in aero- space navigation and guidance, optical-fiber systems,

and communications systems using microwave and

millimeter-wave antennas. In all of these applications, digital techniques are providing the highest data rates. To address the metrological needs involved in im- proving signal acquisition and processing systems,

the Center is working on standard waveform generators and measurement systems which use super- conducting electronics. To address signal trans- mission problems, CEEE is developing measurement

methods for complex antennas, national measurement standards for millimeter-wave parameters,

measurements for characterizing optical fibers, and

measurements and standards for lasers. A recent achievement in this area is the new

microcomputer-based standard for measuring the av- erage power contained in highly distorted electrical waveforms. This new standard provides an improved

basis for comparing the performance of commercially

available wideband wattmeters, and permits on-site power tests using an NBS standard. The instrument

is expected to serve as a laboratory standard watt- meter for calibration of wideband power and energy

standards in the frequency band from dc to about 50

kHz.Many Center projects involve direct collaboration

with industrial firms and laboratories. For instance,

CEEE has completed a special study for a major do- mestic aerospace systems manufacturer, which is the prime contractor for an international communications satellite. The company wanted to know if near-field antenna testing could provide accuracies as good or better than far-field testing for a complete

range of measurements. Based on the NBS study results, the company selected the Bureau's near-field antenna measurement methodology for performance

testing of antennas to be flown on the new satellite. The indoor near-field technique, pioneered by NBS,

4" ^/

Physicist Gary

Carver prepares to inspect a silicon wafer

under a microscope in the Bureau's new semiconductor processing

laboratory. Also called a "clean room," the

laboratory is designed

to allow no more than

10 dirt particles per

cubic foot of air in crit- ical working areas.

19
Electronics en- gineer Galen

Koepke prepares a

piece of electronic

equipment for electro- magnetic susceptibility tests in NBS' rever- beration chamber.

20

offers higher resolution as well as savings in personnel, travel, and equipment costs over the conventional outdoor far-field technique. It is widely used

by industry for performance testing and is now find- ing use in manufacturing process control for complex

antennas. Some projects involve international collaboration.

In cooperation with scientists from a West German

standards laboratory, NBS researchers have demonstrated constant voltage steps at 1 .2 volts from a series array of 1,474 lead-alloy Josephson junctions

operating with a 90-GHz signal. This major achievement demonstrates that no scientific barriers prevent

the development of practical-level Josephsonjunction voltage standards. The experiments also confirmed previous theoretical models.

While some of the Center's research is conducted

primarily for a single purpose, much of it has a wide

range of applications. For instance, planners at all levels of government are concerned with proper

functioning of the nation's electrical power systems,

communications networks, computers, and defense

systems, all of which are vulnerable to disturbance

by electromagnetic pulses. CEEE's study of electro- magnetic pulses has additional applications; pulsepower systems are being developed, for instance, for fusion and industrial system processing. The Center

is also working on more precise high-voltage measurement techniques, on diagnostic techniques for electrical insulation systems, and on critical current measurements to support the theory for high-yield,

high-stress conditions in superconducting materials. As part of this work, the Center has improved the

sensitivity of electro-optical measurements of electric

fields by one to two orders of magnitude, with a res- olution of 1/1000 fringe. The Center also has devel- oped the capability to characterize voltage sensors in the 1 -nanosecond range-an order of magnitude im- provement in the testing of high-voltage dividers used in pulse-power systems. In addition, the Center has established the capability to make quantitative

measurements of chemical species produced in partial discharges in gases as a function of total energy

dissipated or total charge transferred during the time

of the partial discharge. This development provides

information on the aging effects in gaseous insulation. To resolve system performance problems caused

by electromagnetic interference, scientists must be

able to measure electromagnetic environmental conditions produced by complex signal patterns from

multiple sources. To address this problem, the Center is focusing on measurements of complex, inter- fering electromagnetic fields and measurements of electromagnetic emissions and generations of stan- dard fields for immunity testing.

The new isotropic magnetic-field meter designed

by NBS, called MFM-10, measures the near magnetic fields of various high-power radio-frequency sources, including antennas and industrial equip- ment. Contained in a portable package and using a

single probe head, the instrument offers wide fre- quency coverage, large dynamic range, and flat fre- quency and isotropic response. The MFM-10 was de- veloped originally to survey worker exposure to

industrial sources such as sealers, dryers, and in- duction heaters. As with its earlier electric-field instrument, EFM-5, NBS is providing detailed infor- mation regarding construction, operation, and

calibration of the MFM-10 to potential manufacturers. To aid the computer and communications in- dustries in solving problems related to electro- magnetic interference, CEEE is developing a number of measurements. The staff has carried out a theoretical analysis to prove the feasibility of

near-field, phased-array EMI testing for integrated

systems or whole-systems testing. They have

developed a theoretical understanding of mode

structures and mode distributions in rever- beration chambers as a function of frequency. And

they have validated the concept of the time- domain measurement approach for evaluating the

shielding effectiveness of composite materials.

All of these projects apply some of the world's most advanced measurement techniques to the

rapid development of the electrical and electronics technology which pervades almost every facet

of life.
National Measurement Laboratory

Our highly technical soci- ety demands in- creasing measurement

accuracy for the continued advancement of technology. And im- provements in measurement science re- quire an ever deepening

understanding of the

physical world. Scientists

in the National Measurement Laboratory

(NML) conduct re- search at the frontiers of physics which leads

to improved realization

of the basic physical

quantities that underlie measurement

science—mass, length,

time, temperature,

electric current, and radi- ant intensity. Their re- search also helps to im- prove understanding

of fundamental atomic,

molecular, and nuclear radiation pro- cesses. NML provides

the nation with state-of- the-art measurement

services in thermodynamics, transport

properties, chemical ki- netics, surface sci- ence, molecular spectroscopy, and

chemical analysis.

Research chemist

Laurence Hilpert

prepares to analyze an environmental sample

by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, a sensitive

analytical technique

used to measure trace

level toxic organic

compounds at the

parts per billion level.

21
Center for Basic Standards

s the inheritor of the government's nearly

century-old attempts to standardize

_i weights and measures, the NBS Center for Basic Standards (CBS) is responsible for the consis- tency of physical measurement standards in the United States. It develops and maintains the national standards for mass, length, time and frequency, temperature, pressure, vacuum, and electrical quantities.

The Center's work ensures that these national stan- dards are compatible with those of other nations, and the staff provides a variety of measurement services to the public. In addition, the Center conducts basic experimental and theoretical research to build a stronger and more accurate

foundation for physical measurements and to im- prove our understanding of the phenomena on

which physical measurements are based.

During 1983, two momentous occasions oc- curred in the world of basic standards: scientists re- defined the meter, and the Bureau's 94-year-old

platinum kilogram prototypes were recalibrated at the

International Bureau of Weights and Measures

(BIPM) near Paris, France.

Late in the eighteenth century, French sci- entists defined the meter as 1/10,000,000 of the

length of the meridian through Paris between the North Pole and the Equator, and the kilogram as a

cubic decimeter of water at the temperature of

its maximum density. They produced metal prototypes of both the meter and kilogram. The

meter-length artifact became especially useful since

it proved impossible to measure the length of the meridian accurately.

In the search for greater accuracy, scientists redefined the meter in 1 960 as 1 ,650,763.73 wavelengths of the light emitted by the atmospheric

gas krypton 86. The krypton-based meter was accurate to 4 parts per billion, but even this small margin of error led to inaccurate measurement of distances in outer space. Now, based on experiments conducted at NBS

and other laboratories, scientists are able to measure length with unprecedented accuracy using

advanced atomic clocks. As a result of these ex- periments, the meter was redefined by the General

Conference on Weights and Measures, the inter- national standards-setting body in Paris, in 1983, as

the distance that it takes light to travel through

space in 1/299,792,458 second.

Although scientists are working to develop an

atomic standard for mass, they must still refer to the

22

original French kilogram artifact, which is accurate by definition. In 1890, the United States received two kilogram mass standards, exact duplicates

of the French standard. They are kept at NBS, but

until 1983 oniy one had been recalibrated since

its arrival in the United States. In December 1983, an NBS physicist carried both standards to BIPM in specially designed containers. There, they were

cleaned and calibrated using the world's most

accurate balance scale, built at NBS in 1970 and on

indefinite loan to BIPM. Now that the NBS stan- dards have been checked for accuracy, NBS sci- entists can continue to use them to calibrate other working standards.

Here physicist

John Bollinger

(left) and postdoctoral

research associate

John Prestige examine

the laser set-up used

to develop the first laser-cooled atomic

ion clock.
While progressing toward more accurate measurement based on natural phenomena, CBS continues to emphasize its everyday research and

service to the public. It is helping other scientific and

technical organizations by providing faster and more accurate calibration services. The Center re- cently introduced new primary standards for the ac-dc difference and automated a large part of its re- sistance calibration facility, resulting in greater

precision. Through automation and improved management over the past 2 years, the Center has

reduced the average time required for each cali- bration from 3 months to 3 weeks.

In addition to providing calibration services, the Center seeks to aid industry by communicating

the results of its metrology research and offering a

variety of documentation and training services. As part of its recently expanded industrial outreach

program, the Center is starting a series of electrical measurement assurance seminars and has be- gun publishing the Industrial Measurement Series, which contains papers written by NBS and

industrial metrologists.

Serving industry in a different manner, the Center

has expanded its time dissemination services. NBS broadcasts precise time and frequency signals from three radio stations and the Geostationary

Operational Environmental Satellite. Until recently, the accuracy of time broadcasts ranged from 10

milliseconds to 30 microseconds. The new services,

involving the Coast Guard's LORAN-C system

and the Department of Defense's Global Positioning

Satellite, cover the range from 3 nanoseconds

to 1 microsecond. These new services feature highly

automated equipment and extensive user inter- action with NBS.

In another project designed to improve the ac- curacy of time and frequency measurement, the Center developed and evaluated the world's first cooled ion frequency standard. The use of laser cooling to reduce atomic velocity helps over- come the most serious limitation of all current atomic

frequency standards—the Doppler effect. Center

scientists are already experimenting with a secondgeneration device which should produce a hundredfold improvement in performance.

A related project is aimed toward developing

measurement instruments with unprecedented accuracy, using ultra-high resolution laser spectroscopy. To produce the slow atoms needed for such

studies, Center scientists recently used a laser

beam to irradiate a beam of neutral sodium atoms,

cooling the atoms to an effective temperature of 70 millikelvin. Center researchers have joined scientists around the world in an intensive study of the "quantized Hall effect," which was first reported 4 years ago. This phenomenon, which describes an ef- fect of an electric current flowing through a su- perconducting semiconductor in the presence of a

strong magnetic field, may provide the basis for a new, more accurate standard of electrical re- sistance based solely on physical theory and basic natural constants. Although the NBS research is directed primarily at solving practical problems in the construction and use of such a standard, it also provides important information for theorists who

are studying the quantized Hall effect. Recent experiments at NBS provided the most accurate measurements to date of a previously unrecognized temperature dependency in the Hall effect, and

uncovered unexpected results in the local break- down of the superconducting effect at certain

critical current strengths.

Another recent achievement has been in de- veloping an accurate basis for a method measuring

the pressure and temperature of gases using a

light source instead of a mechanical probe. The laser diagnostic technique being developed at NBS

has the potential to provide dynamic temperature

measurements of volumes as small as a few

cubic millimeters almost instantly—within 10 nano- seconds. Center researchers have obtained basic information regarding the spectral response of gases. The project could provide the basis for a

greater understanding of combustion processes in engines.

Through the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astro- physics, which NBS cosponsors with the University of Colorado, Center scientists also conduct re- search in precision measurements, geophysical

measurement methods, chemical physics, atomic

and molecular physics, and astrophysics. They

have recently contributed to the development of stabilized lasers, the search for more efficient photovoltaic energy converters, and the measurement of fundamental molecular reaction processes. These researchers have also interpreted observations of stellar atmospheres obtained from

ground-based and space-satellite experiments.

Kilogram Proto- type K-20, one of two prototypes that define a kilogram of mass in the U.S., and

hence the entire U.S. measurement system

for mass, is the small

platinum-iridium cylinder resting on the bal- ance pan on the righthand side of this photograph.

23
Center for Radiation Research

hrough its research to understand and measure various forms of radiation, NBS

produces information that is used to en- hance industrial productivity, assure public health and safety, explore outer space, control pollution, conduct energy research, and design advanced

telecommunications equipment.

In the NBS Center for Radiation Research (CRR),

scientists examine both electromagnetic radi- ation, such as visible light and x-rays, and particle

radiation, such as beams of electrons, ions, and

neutrons. They study and measure ways in which

such radiation interacts with matter, ranging from

extended material surfaces to the molecular and subnuclear levels. Much of this work results in accurate methods for measuring, characterizing, and producing radi- ation sources and standards. In recent years, radi- ation research has developed an important new

relationship to health and medicine. For example,

doctors are now trying to determine the long- range health effects of human exposure to low-level

radiation sources. To do so, they need new

measurement tools and data describing how radi- ation interacts with the human body.

To aid in this effort, CRR is collaborating with re- searchers from local universities and the National Foundation for Cancer Research in a basic

study of the chemical and physical effects of radiation on condensed materials, such as those

found in biological systems. One recent accomplishment is the development of new techniques for separating and identifying new species of proteins produced by the action of ionizing radiation on

natural proteins.

Radiation can have both long-term and short-term

effects on humans. The immediate effects of hu- man exposure to radiation can now be gauged more

accurately with a new ionizing radiation measurement device designed by the Center with the

U.S. Army and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The optical waveguide dosimeter, now

being produced commercially, is 100 times more

sensitive than conventional chemical dosimeters. It can be used to measure radiation in industrial,

medical, agricultural, space, and defense applications, as well as in the fast-growing radiation- processing industry.

One reason why the radiation-processing in- dustry is growing by about 30 percent annually is that the use of several chemical decontaminants, re- cently found to be unsafe, is now limited by federal regulatory agencies. Ionizing radiation, for example, could be used instead of EDB (ethylene di- bromide) to control pests in foodstuffs, as well as to sterilize medical devices instead of EO (ethyl- ene oxide). Radiation-processing industries have

installed more than 200 radiation sources to meet

the new industrial demand. The Center has contributed to this technology by developing radiation standards and improved industrial quality control systems to monitor radiation doses, so that safely

sterilized products are delivered to consumers.

Radiation research is not only meeting down-toearth human needs, but is also reaching out into space. Research instruments routinely calibrated by

CRR will be operated on the space shuttle and

the orbiting space telescope.

In addition to studying radiation in space, sci- entists are interested in harnessing the energy of certain types of radiation. To aid those trying to develop nuclear fusion energy systems, NBS has de- veloped the first completely consistent set of atomic physics codes producing theoretical data for dielectronic recombination rates encountered in fusion and x-ray laser plasmas. The NBS data can be used by physicists to develop computer models of Tokamak fusion reactors.

Physicist William L. McLaughlin studies

the use of speciallytailored, radiationsensitive dyes and fi- ber optics to make

cheap, convenient in- dustrial radiation dosimeters that can be

read with a beam of

light.

24
I

Miral Dizdaroglu

(left), a research

associate from the

National Foundation

for Cancer Research,

works with NBS re- search chemist Michael

Simic to study certain

chemical reactions that can damage DNA and

which may be an important step in the basic mechanism of cancer.

To produce radiation for experimental pur- poses, the Center builds and operates sophisticated accelerators and other radiation sources. The

largest is the Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF II), which is being upgraded to 300

MeV. With the installation of a high-resolution spectrometer on one of its beam lines, SURF ll's re- solving power will be 10 times better than that of any

similar facility in the world. SURF II is one of a few sources in the world which can provide continuous radiation in the ultra- violet and near x-ray region of the spectrum. The

special properties of this radiation enable NBS

to use this synchrotron as the only absolute national radiometric standard in the ultraviolet range of

the light spectrum. It is used as a research and cali- bration tool by numerous visiting scientists, and

for the study of optical properties of materials, molecular kinetics, ionization dynamics, and other

fields of investigation.

Other ongoing CRR projects will aid a wide

variety of theoretical and practical scientific and technological investigations. These projects involve: The use of polarized electron beams to investigate surface magnetism, determine surface potentials

of metals, study inverse photoemission from metals,

and characterize ferromagnetic glasses.

Development of advanced radiographic measurement tools, including work on combining

multi-channel photoelectronic detection, digital image

processing, and tomographic analysis. The result

is improved diagnostic methods and standards for medical, dental, and industrial radiographic appli- cations. New wavelength measurement of the atomic

transition in helium, measured by Doppler-free inter- modulated fluorescence spectroscopy and

Doppler-limited spectra.

Production of computer-readable data files to supplement the traditional printed compilations of radiation data. Development of calibrated radionuclide solutions to be used as standards in a governmentsponsored bioassay measurement quality assurance

program.

Establishment of a new high-accuracy calibration capability in the near infrared, achieved by im- proving spectrophotometry design.

Development of a new absolute neutron detector for measurements in the neutron energy re- gion from 1 to 20 million electron volts. Work with other scientists to build and test large

accelerators, such as the 200-million electron volt, continuous-wave electron accelerator being devel- oped jointly with Los Alamos National Laboratory, to ensure development of state-of-the art radi- ation sources.

25
vm^m- :>

: mmcM [Physics

nvironmental monitoring, fossil fuel combustion, and biotechnology are among

the applications of research conducted by

the NBS Center for Chemical Physics (CCP). Center

researchers develop advanced measurement

techniques in surface science, chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and molecular spectroscopy.

Using these techniques, scientists can achieve

greater understanding of the molecular foundations of complex physicochemical systems.

Many rapidly growing areas of technology, in- cluding the development of high performance materials, computers, and semiconductors, involve sur- face characterization. One thrust of NBS surface science research is to develop measurement

techniques for surface characterization. A second

major goal of NBS surface science research is to determine the structure and reactivity of molecules

adsorbed on surfaces, especially those im- portant in catalysis. To conduct this research, the Center has established some unique experimental facilities. Center researchers recently constructed a new atom probe field ion microscope which has

several novel features. It combines principles of

field ion microscopy-which provides images of a

crystal structure's individual atoms at magnifications up to several million times-and a time-offlight mass spectrometer. The new microscope, a powerful tool in materials analysis, can detect the

locations and mass of individual atoms in a crystal structure. With it scientists can probe regions

ranging from only 5 angstroms in diameter to ar- eas 800 times as wide. Researchers from NBS, the

University of Illinois, and industry are now using

this microscope to analyze rapidly solidified alloys.

The NBS synchrotron (SURF II) and an x-ray

light source at the Brookhaven National Laboratory

are being used to study the bonding of atoms

and molecules to surfaces of metals and oxides. Combined with other surface-sensitive methods,

this research is providing new insights into the geometrical and electronic structures of molecules on surfaces and the electronic properties of the substrate. The results of this research could help to improve materials used in electronics and other hightechnology industries. The study of chemical kinetics at NBS has numer- ous near-term applications, particularly in controlling and monitoring environmental pollution. Center researchers have proposed a new way to

26

monitor the effectiveness of the burning of haz- ardous waste. A major problem in burning haz- ardous waste mixtures has been verifying that the hazardous components of the mixture are actually being destroyed. NBS has suggested using

tracer compounds which are known to be more

difficult to destroy than the hazardous components

of the waste mixture. The tracer, added to the waste mixture in small quantities, could be used to determine the incinerator's efficiency. Use of such tracers could be cheaper, simpler, and more

accurate than present methods of checking the operation of waste incinerators, heat-recovery plants,

and similar installations. NBS has identified candidate tracers, which are being tested in California. This project has attracted the interest of industry, energy, defense, and standards experts.

Industry is also interested in the Center's re- cently patented idea which could help solve the nation's acid rain problem. Center scientists pro- posed a new chemical process for removing the noxious pollutant sulfur dioxide from industrial gas streams, such as the flue gas emitted from coal- burning power plants. The proposed reaction scheme converts sulfur and nitrogen to acids which can be removed easily from the gas. It could prove more efficient and reliable than the slurry sys- tems which are presently in use. The nationwide effort to develop more efficient and less polluting combustion systems has creUsing chemical ki- netics, Wing Tsang

(left) and Walter

Shaub, research chemists, work to identify "tracer" compounds

that could be used to monitor the per- formance of hazardous

waste incinerators.

i
ated a growing need for chemical kinetics data and

models. NBS is working to provide the scientific database for the design, modeling, and optimization

of high-temperature processes. With the Department of Energy, NBS is asking research groups

throughout the United States to cooperate in preparing an evaluated chemical kinetics database of elementary single step reactions for use in combustion modeling.

In addition to such databases, CCP provides

data evaluation services and determination of benchmark values. The Center, in conjunction with the Standard Reference Data Program, recently completed a new set of tables of chemical thermodynamic properties. More than 60,000 references were used to compile the original data, which were then carefully evaluated and checked for ther- modynamic consistency using specially devel- oped computer programs. The tables have been

published by the American Chemical Society

and the American Physical Society.

In the NBS tradition of providing the measurement base for new and growing industries, the Center has begun to develop a new focus in bio- thermodynamics. CCP is evaluating existing thermodynamic data to estimate the properties of important biological building blocks. They are examining enzyme-catalyzed reactions in order

to obtain data on product formation under varying process conditions. They are also measuring the

energetics of nucleic acids by combustion bomb cal- orimetry. NBS-designed microcalorimeters and a high-performance liquid chromatography technique

developed and validated at NBS were recently

used to investigate the thermodynamics of the isomerization of glucose to fructose.

In a related area, CCP and the National Foundation for Cancer Research have initiated a cooperative research program to study the chemical behavior of metalloenzymes. These proteins are

important in DNA replication and may play a role in the growth of tumors. NBS researchers have de- veloped quantum chemical computation techniques

to calculate complex systems of organic molecules interacting with metal ions. These calculations

will enable them to predict important chemical

properties.

Another major effort in the Center is a study of the properties of weakly bonded molecules. Center

scientists are presently interested in hydrogen

bonding in condensed phase systems. Hydrogen

bonding is well understood on a macroscopic

level. It is what makes water expand when it freezes,

so that ice floats on the oceans instead of sinking. At the molecular level, however, hydrogen bonding is poorly understood. Only recently has spectroscopic instrumentation made it possible to resolve the rotational-vibrational fine structure of hydrogen-bonded complexes in gas phase systems.

NBS researchers are coupling theoretical spectroscopy with their infrared and microwave ex- perimental results to explain the first resolved

rotation-vibration spectrum of a hydrogen-bonded

dimer molecule. From this spectroscopic data,

scientists can obtain bond strengths and potential

energies of the hydrogen-bonded systems.

Physicist Mark

Twigg uses a specially designed

atom probe field ion

microscope that can

detect the locations

and relative mass of

individual atoms in crystals under study.

The instrument allows

researchers to make

detailed studies of the

crystal structure of ex- perimental alloys.

27
Center for Analytical Chemistry

ore than 30 billion chemical analyses are

i performed each year in the United States by researchers in government, industry, academia, and private and public testing laboratories. Helping to ensure the accuracy of these anal- yses is the NBS Center for Analytical Chemistry

(CAC). The Center serves as the nation's reference

laboratory for chemical compositional measurements

of inorganic, organic, gaseous, and particulate materials. To help solve national problems that involve analytical chemistry, the Center develops accurate test- ing methods and Standard Reference Materials (SRM's) by: (1) investigating fundamental chemical

and physical principles and concepts to develop new

analytical procedures; (2) developing definitive test methods, which have been investigated exhaustively

to remove bias and obtain high degrees of accuracy and precision; (3) modifying existing analytical methods to include new sample types and to permit accurate testing of samples with lower concentrations of important chemical constituents; and (4) standardization research, including certification of chemical

compositions in SRM's.

Much of the Center's work has important applications in technology development. To design new

high-technology machines and instruments, en- gineers must be able to predict the performance of materials such as alloys, composites, and electronic components. The performance of these materials is linked to their chemical composition and structure on

a micrometer scale. In collaboration with scientists from the aerospace and electronics industries, aca- demia, and other national laboratories, Center sci- entists are using beams of neutrons to measure ele- mental compositional profiles in materials important

in high-technology industries. This technique is called neutron depth profiling (NDP). Using measurements

obtained by NDP, they developed three-dimensional

chemical maps for specific constituents in the sample. These maps, with resolution at the tens of nano- meter level, can play a major role in establishing re- lationships between the chemical composition of materials and their performance.

With another technique, called resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS), Center scientists hope to detect single atoms within chemical samples

and measure and analyze accurately a sample with as few as 10,000 atoms. This technique will provide

28

scientists with additional capability to measure ultra- low concentrations of elements and molecules in a

variety of matrices (sample types). RIMS is expected

to aid scientists in their efforts to follow the pathways

of natural and manmade environmental contamination, to measure nutritionally and biologically

important trace elements, and to study a variety of nuclear decay processes.

In addition to developing new measurement tech- niques which are at the cutting edge of technology,

the Center has developed definitive methods which

are the cornerstones of quantitative analytical chemistry. Using these methods, the Center determines

chemical values for a variety of test samples and

SRM's. Scientists in both the private and public sectors use these SRM's to assess the accuracy of their own analytical methods. The Center has developed

highly accurate analytical methods for inorganic and/

or organic constituents in a variety of matrices, in- cluding human serum, metals, nuclear materials, bio- logicals, and glasses.

Scientists in CAC have certified the chemical composition of more than 700 SRM's. They also perform

research to develop new SRM's. In a recently completed SRM project, Center scientists developed

Chemist Gwen

Marbury adjusts an

electrochemical cell before testing a new

polymer-modified elec- trode for analysis of

organohalogen pesticides such as ethyl- ene dibromide (EDB).
1 *^pl . Fl

J

Analytical chemist

Paul Paulsen loads an arsenic sulfide sample into the source of a mass spectrometer to measure sulfur iso- topic rations. Researchers are determining sulfur concentration by stable isotopic dilution for

certification of Stan- dard Reference Materials at concentration

levels from a few parts

per million to several

percent.

analytical methods to certify a unique SRM for measuring asbestos in the non-working environment. This

effort used analytical electron microscopy to count

micrometer-size asbestos fibers on membrane filter samples.

While SRM's are used in a broad range of applications, much of the Center's work has near-term use

in specific areas of research. Recently, Center sci- entists analyzed cholesterol and other constituents

of human serum in collaboration with the College of American Pathologists, determined levels of phenols

in fuel in cooperation with the Department of Energy,

and cooperated with industry and the Food and Drug

Administration to determine ethylene oxide residues

in surgical materials.

All three of the above analyses were done to re- spond to new requirements in organic analytical

chemistry. Until the mid-1 970's, the typical analysis

for organic constituents was performed by isolating

and quantifying fairly high concentrations of a single

component in a simple matrix. In such an analysis, other chemicals in the matrix can affect the detection and quantitation of a specific compound. To over- come this problem, scientists have been in- vestigating the chromatographic separation of chemical compounds. Using the results of this investigation, NESS scientists are now able to separate and analyze specific organic compounds from

complex samples containing thousands of chemicals.

In other work that has near- and long-term applications, the Center has cooperated with the Environ- mental Protection Agency to establish a pilot envi- ronmental specimen bank program. The bank

contains well-characterized biological samples for analysis of chemicals present in the environment.

These samples can be used in the future to evaluate environmental changes which may occur over a

given period of time and also to distinguish man- made changes from natural ones. The program to date has involved developing analytical protocols for sampling, processing, and storing samples; evaluating analytical methods for determining trace ele- ments and organic pollutants in biological samples;

establishing baseline data on selected environmental

specimens; and evaluating the feasibility of long-term

sample storage under various conditions.

In a related project, scientists are investigating iso- topic and chemical compound distributions in natural samples. They are using mathematical modeling and

chemometrics to identify sources of environmental

pollutants. These procedures can be used for other chemical analyses as well. Along with the rest of the National Measurement

Laboratory, the Center has programs to ensure that

its measurement technology is transferred to outside

users. It has provided quality assurance courses to more than 2,000 people, and is producing a generic

quality assurance document for a broad range of us- ers in cooperation with six other government agencies.

29
Office of Measurement Services

eliable measurements can help avoid costly

manufacturing mistakes and unnecessary use of products and systems. They can

provide the basis for sound and economical environ- mental and safety regulations. Good measurements

can also improve health care by ensuring the validity of clinical tests and procedures.

At the heart of the NBS mission are services which ensure the accuracy and compatibility of measurements on a national and international scale. These services also disseminate NBS-developed

measurement technology to users throughout the

world. Three such programs are directed by the Office of Measurement Services: the Standard Refer- ence Materials (SRM) Program, the Calibration Service Program, and the Measurement Assurance Program (MAP).

SRM's, produced by NBS since 1906, are ho- mogeneous and stable materials, which have one or more physical and/or chemical properties accurately

measured and certified by NBS. They are used

throughout the world to calibrate instruments and

evaluate test methods used in industrial quality control, medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring,

and basic metrology. NBS currently maintains an in- ventory of about 900 different SRM's, which are described in the Catalog of Standard Reference Materials, NBS Special Publication 260. Each year, NBS

sells more than 35,000 SRM units to over 10,000

customers, including 2,500 foreign customers. Although NBS has been providing basic measurement services such as SRM's for nearly 80

years, the accelerated pace of technology devel- opment has called for new and more accurate SRM's. Some of the most recently developed SRM's

are in dimensional metrology, ferrous metals, and

biotechnology.

Scientists working in the early 1900's would have

had little use for microdimensional SRM's with an av- erage diameter of 0.895 micrometers. That is the

size of the tiny polystyrene spheres in the new SRM

1690. Developed in cooperation with the American

Society for Testing and Materials, this SRM can be

used to calibrate optical and electron microscopes,

flowthrough counters, and other instruments which measure the size of small particles. Such particle size measurements are vital in a variety of fields, in- cluding metallurgy, clinical chemistry, environmental

30

monitoring, and food technology, as well as in the production of printing inks, explosive powders, and

cement. The steel industry uses more than 100 different NBS steel reference materials to assure quality pro- duction and to calibrate automated measurement sys- tems. The 1200 series of low-alloy steels, prepared

to NBS specifications, has been the standard for the

entire low-alloy steel industry for more than a de- cade. Some newer SRM's are helping the industry

produce high-strength, temperature-resistant stain- less steels for a variety of applications. One new SRM series with a high nickel and chromium content prepared in cooperation with industry and technical standards groups, is vital to this effort. SRM's are used not only in America's most basic

industries but also in the rapidly expanding bio- technology sector. NBS now has more than 30

SRM's to support measurements in biotechnology

and clinical chemistry. One such SRM, Human Se- rum (SRM 909), was recently updated to include measurement of enzymatic activity for 7 important

enzymes involved in medical diagnoses. This im- provement, which drew worldwide attention from clinical chemists, constituted an important step toward

standardization in the clinical area of enzymatic activity. As essential as the SRM service are the cali- bration and physical measurement services provided

Metrologist Ralph

Veale demonstrates the use of a socketed ball bar to

test coordinate measuring machines, which

are used in the aero- space and automotive

industries and in the

manufacture of farm

and construction

equipment.
NBS measurement

assurance seminars, like this one by

researcher John

Taylor, CAC, help train participants to establish and maintain vigo- rous quality control

programs in their laboratories.

by NBS. By calibrating a variety of standards and

measurement equipment, these services provide the basis for a complete and consistent national system

of physical measurements. During 1983, NBS cali- brated more than 8,000 instruments and transfer standards—up from 6,800 in 1 982—for more than

1 ,500 customers. Calibrations are provided for a vari- ety of important parameters including fundamental

quantities (mass, length, time, electrical current, and

temperature) and derived quantities (such as fluid flow rate, electrical resistance, spectral radiance, la- ser power, and microwave attenuation).

In addition to developing new SRM's to meet the demands of technology, NBS is also continuing its search for new ways to enhance the accuracy of its calibration services. When customers properly use

instruments calibrated by NBS, they can be reasonably assured of accurate measurement in their laboratories. Inaccuracy can occur, however, if the device

is damaged in shipment, or if other factors (such as

unskilled operators or environmental conditions)

hamper accurate measurement. For customers whose measurements must be of the highest accuracy and traceable to national measurement stan- dards, NBS has developed its Measurement Assur- ance Program (MAP).

The NBS MAP service comprises multilaboratory

testing programs, which enable participants to evalu- ate the performance of their total measurement sys- tems relative to national standards and to the per- formance of other laboratories. During the past 5

years, NBS has provided MAP services for electrical resistance, electrical capacitance, dc voltage, plat- inum resistance thermometers, mass, gage blocks, watt-hour meters, laser power and energy, and opti- cal retroreflectance.

In a MAP, NBS carefully measures a stable arti- fact, referred to as a transfer standard, which is then

measured by the participating laboratory and again

by NBS to assure stability during shipment. The

transfer standard is then sent to another participating

laboratory and again back to NBS for measurement.

After analyzing all the data from the participating lab- oratories, NBS prepares a test report stating how

much each the participating laboratory's measured

value deviates from the NBS standard and from the mean values of the other participants. All parties measure the transport standard again periodically.

Participating laboratories must have ongoing measurement quality control programs to monitor their own check standards. MAP's have been shown to improve participants'

precision and accuracy substantially. Participating laboratories that are located in the same region of the country can form interlaboratory testing groups known as regional MAP's. In such arrangements, one laboratory provides the principal point of contact

with NBS to help ensure the stability of the transfer standard. To enhance the use of accurate measurements

throughout the scientific community, NBS holds measurement assurance seminars. These seminars pro- vide in-depth training in both measurement tech- niques and statistical evaluation of measurement

processes. These seminars, given at locations throughout the country, help train participants to establish and maintain vigorous quality control pro- grams in their laboratories.

31
Office of Standard Reference Data

—ore than a million scientific papers are published each year, a production rate that is beginning to overwhelm scientists and

others who are finding it more difficult than ever to be sure about the reliability of the data in those

papers. Yet decisions based on inadequate or out- dated information may result in the costly over- design of industrial facilities or possible failure of products.

Researchers at all levels of industry, government,

and academia depend on the evaluated physical

and chemical databases developed and distributed by the NBS Office of Standard Reference Data. This program, mandated by the Standard Reference

Data Act (Public Law 90-396), coordinates the

activities of 23 continuing data centers and 31 other data evaluation projects. Each data center monitors an important disciplinary area and develops and

maintains one or several databases. The Office's database is then made available to the technical community in several formats: published,

computer-readable, and on-line. The data projects of- ten answer the need for specialized databases

in particularly important areas of science and tech- nology.

The Office now distributes six major databases in computer-readable format on magnetic tapes. In this way, the databases are more accessible to a variety of users and can be updated more easily.

These databases have numerous uses, such as

identifying chemical unknowns encountered in different environments, predicting chemical reaction

equilibria, and designing industrial processes. The six databases presently available on magnetic

tape are: NBS/NIH/EPA/MSDC Mass Spectral

Database, NBS Chemical Thermodynamics Database, NBS Thermophysical Properties of Hydrocarbon Mixtures Database, NBS Crystal Data Identi- fication File, Thermophysical Properties of Helium, and Interactive Fortran Program to Calculate Thermophysical Properties of Six Fluids. Additional efforts are underway to provide more

needed data in computer-readable format. For

example, the Photon and Charged Particle Data Center is preparing computer-readable files of accurate cross section data for the interaction of photons and electrons with matter. These data are needed by many scientists working in energy re- search, medical physics, space science, radi- ation sterilization, and materials processing. Two

data files are being prepared. The first is XGAM,

which will contain data pertaining to the interaction of x-rays and gamma rays with elemental sub- stances in the energy region 1 keV to 100 GeV. The

second, EPSTAR, will consist of stopping powers for electrons in 285 materials and for positrons in 29 materials of dosimetric interest. Some of the Office's recent data evaluation and

database development work involves the use of prediction and correlation techniques. These tech- niques help determine hard-to-measure data and

Chemist Bettijoyce

Molino develops an evaluated database

for the chemical pro- cesses industry.

Research chemist

Marlene Morris, an NBS research associate with the JCPDS in- ternational Centre for Diffraction Data, studies an x-ray powder

diffraction pattern that was recorded on a lab- oratory diffractometer.

32
provide internal checks to assure that a particular

database is scientifically self-consistent. An ex- ample of this effort is the NBS Chemical Thermodynamics Database that contains data on the thermodynamic properties of 1 5,000 substances

which are totally consistent with the laws of ther- modynamics.

Researchers in the Fluid Mixtures Data Center

are developing techniques which will enable sci- entists to predict transport properties of pure flu- ids from thermodynamic and molecular data, to predict properties of mixtures from the properties of pure fluids, and to interpolate and extrapolate data

over a range of temperature, pressure, and rela- tive concentrations (in mixtures). With such capabilities, researchers can generate needed thermophysical data on-line for specific multi-component

mixtures. It would be impossible to provide such

information on all possible mixtures in printed tabular form. To make the Standard Reference Data program

successful, its managers must be aware of data

requirements in the U.S. technical community and

obtain that community's assistance in the job of providing needed data. For this reason, program

managers collaborate with a variety of industrial and professional groups. These cooperative activities provide considerable assistance-in-kind to the program, as well as highly effective routes for dis- semination of data. For example, the National Association of Corrosion

Engineers and NBS have established a joint pro- gram to provide evaluated corrosion data on alloys

and other materials. Corrosion of materials, such

as in machinery and bridges, cost the United States an estimated $126 billion in 1982. The new co- operative effort is aimed at reducing these costs through improved utilization of materials and application of good anti-corrosion practices. The Office

of Standard Reference Data has established a new Corrosion Data Center within the NBS Center

for Materials Science. The data center will provide

overall guidance of the technical aspects of the program and will assure reliability of the data

evaluations. The Office of Standard Reference Data also collaborates with the Design Institute for Physical

Properties Data (DIPPR), sponsored through the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. DIPPR's

purpose is to provide reference data to the chemical industry by a combination of critical data

evaluation and experimental measurement. The

more than 40 organizations that support DIPPR in- clude companies which manufacture chemicals,

design processes, and plants and provide a variety

of services to the chemical industry.

Through the Standard Reference Data program, NBS played an active role in helping the industry establish DIPPR and the research agreement which

spells out the cooperative activities between the two organizations. These activities include direct support of DIPPR projects by NBS, and carrying out

of certain types of work for DIPPR at NBS.

In addition to new activities, the Office of Standard Reference Data enjoys a number of longstanding cooperative arrangements. One is its 12-year collaboration with the American Chemical

Society and the American Institute of Physics to publish the Journal of Physical and Chemical Refer- ence Data, the major printed output channel for the National Standard Reference Data System. The

journal presents compilations of physical and

chemical property data which have been evaluated

by scientists knowledgeable in the pertinent field of research. The American Chemical Society handles pro- motion and subscriptions as well as a unique service:

selling bound offprints of articles. The American

Institute of Physics is responsible for composition,

printing, and mailing, while NBS provides technical and editorial control. By sponsoring this effort and actively disseminating the results to their membership, these two professional societies demonstrate their recognition of the data's im- portance.

These database development and cooperative

activities are merely representative of the large and

comprehensive efforts through which the Office

of Standard Reference Data provides up-to-date

evaluated scientific information to the technical community.

33
Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology

it

No device symbolizes

the ongoing technological revolution more

effectively than the computer, a ubiquitous

feature of business

life, now commonly used

in homes and

schools. The rapid

growth of computer

technology has caused some problems and

confusion, however.

Computer users have

encountered systems

which don't "talk" to each other, which pro- vide inadequate security, and which otherwise

fail to meet their needs. The Bureau's In- stitute for Computer

Sciences and Technology (ICST) helps

organizations manage

and use computers

and information tech- nologies effectively by

providing a range of technical products

and support.

( harles Sheppard,

a computer scientist, develops guidance

for selecting and using

off-the-shelf database

management packages.

34
J

The staff of the Institute for Computer Sci- ences and Technology collect, analyze,

and transfer information about new technology, develop guidelines and standards for the federal government, and provide technical advice

and assistance. The Institute also conducts applied research and development, such as test methods, description techniques, design specifications,

and performance measures. To carry out this program, ICST works with many

other groups, including computer users in govern- ment and industry, computer manufacturers and ser- vice providers, national and international voluntary

standards organizations, and a variety of research

organizations.

As their costs go down and their capabilities in- crease, computers are attracting new users in busi- ness, government, and households. Small computer

systems are being purchased by organizations of all sizes. As computer technology reaches into new

areas, computer applications are becoming more

complex. Distinctions among computers, communications, and information management are be- coming blurred. With this growing complexity, there is an increasing

need to coordinate the development, implementation, and management of computer technology

and new computer applications. And as more computer functions become automated, users are be- coming more concerned with the protection of data

and processing resources. To help organizations keep up with new devel- opments and plan effectively for the future, ICST pro- grams focus on three major areas: compatibility and

interconnection of components, systems, and net- works; efficient management and use of computer

resources throughout the system life cycle; and the

integrity, reliability, and availability of computer re- sources. Without commonly accepted methods of transmitting and receiving information, equipment cannot

be linked together into compatible systems, and net- works cannot be developed from commercially avail- able products. ICST helps develop voluntary industry

standards to achieve compatibility of components,

systems, and processes. Providing both technical leadership and support, ICST contributes to the de- velopment of standards that meet both user and

vendor requirements. These standards help stimulate

development of high-quality, reliable, off-the-shelf products and enable the U.S. computer industry to compete in world markets.

In supporting the development of voluntary stan- dards, ICST works with a variety of user or- ganizations, such as the Network Users Association

and the Association of Data Communications Users, as well as users in federal, state, and local govern- ment groups. ICST also works with hardware and

software manufacturers, the American National Stan- dards Institute (ANSI), the International Organization

for Standardization (ISO), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). ICST staff members participate in more than 60 standardswriting committees to which they contribute specifications, test methods, and ICST research findings.

When standards are implemented in products, ICST

works with industry and users to test the standards' performance.

When new voluntary computer standards are de- veloped, they are often adopted for federal govern- ment use as Federal Information Processing Stan- dards (FIPS). ICST helps federal agencies analyze

the impact of proposed standards before they are

ICST scientists are researching ways

to make it possible to form resource-sharing

networks from differ- ent manufacturers'

equipment. Shown

here in the Network

Protocol Lab are (left to right standing) Jerry

Linn, Ken Diamond,

Wayne McCoy, and

Fran Nielson and (left to right seated) Dan

Rorrer and Stephan

Nightingale.

3 5
Computer sci- entis (Mark Skail and Joseph Coliiea

look at ways to inte- grate database managemenl systems with

- Dm iputer graphics

systems, thus making

both easier to use and more efficient.

adopted. The federal government has issued more

than 100 FIPS, including guidelines for managing and

using computers. Once issued by the government,

FIPS are often widely used in the private sector. Standardization and compatibility are also im- portant issues in the drive to link together equipment

used for different applications into resource-sharing networks. Such networks can be difficult to form,

however, because different manufacturers' systems

do not communicate with each other. To achieve

compatible communication, a special type of soft- ware called "protocols" can be developed. ICST is working on international network protocol standards

with ISO, ANSI, and other groups. The goal of this effort is to develop standard protocols for the various data communication functions in networks—from

physical connections, routing, and switching functions through the structuring and organizing of data. When implemented in commercial products, the

standard protocols will enable users to develop and

expand their own computer networks for a variety of applications.

One of ICST's major accomplishments in the net- work standards area has been developing technical

specifications and test methods for prototype implementations. Because there are currently no standard

products in widespread use, testing implementations

is a critical step in the process of developing inter- national standards. The testing program involves satellite networks, local area networks, office system

networks, and videotex applications. Computer manufacturers, users, and network research or- ganizations in other countries are participating in this program with ICST.

In related work, ICST is also developing specifica- tions and test methods for data formats, coding sys- tems, and computer storage media. Common for- mats and codes permit different computer-based

office systems to exchange documents and messages. Computer components and systems must

also have compatible storage media to exchange in- formation. ICST has developed Standard Reference

Materials which help computer manufacturers and

users test the quality and performance of their storage media and associated equipment.

Before computers can transmit and store data, the data must be made computer-readable. ICST is in- vestigating data entry techniques that can reduce

costs to users. These techniques include optical character recognition and speech technology.

As personal computers become more widely used

in the office workplace, many organizations are in- creasingly concerned with managing end-user computer applications. ICST's technical support program

helps organizations understand and manage such

applications. The program investigates the features

of small computers and software packages and pro- vides guidance for users based on laboratory find- ings and user experiences.

One of the most costly, labor-intensive activities for computer users is development and maintenance

of software. ICST conducts programs designed to help manage information resources, improve pro- grammer productivity, and enhance software quality. Toward this goal, ICST is investigating new tech- nologies such as software development tools, user- oriented programming languages, and knowledgebased systems.

To enhance the efficiency of storing, retrieving,

and manipulating data, ICST is developing standards

and guidelines for data dictionary systems, database

36
I

management systems, and graphics systems.

Working with users and software vendors, ICST is preparing functional specifications for data dictionary

systems. This work has been adopted by voluntary

standards groups as the basis for an international standard. With increasing numbers of organizations de- pending on computers to carry out their programs

and deliver their services, computer security is a growing concern. The confidentiality, integrity, and

availability of computer data and processing re- sources must be protected from threat and loss. While much public attention has been focused on

deliberate breaches of computer security, most experts agree that accidental events cause greater loss than do computer-related crimes and mischief. ICST is investigating safeguards that protect sys- tems against accidental events as well as intentional

acts. These safeguards include both management

and technical computer security methods such as

risk analysis, contingency planning, personal identification, applications and database security, and pro- cedures for certification and accreditation. ICST

works with federal and private sector computer

users, computer security professionals, and auditors

to develop methods and techniques that will help or- ganizations of all sizes protect their computers and

data. An example of a technical safeguard under in- vestigation is the use of computer cryptography to protect data transmitted in networks. The Institute has developed a Data Encryption Standard (DES),

which has been adopted to protect sensitive but unclassified data in federal government computers. The

DES has also been adopted as a voluntary industry standard. To use the DES, computer operators must protect

the secret keys that are used to encrypt and decrypt

data. To protect these keys, ICST staff members de- veloped a Key Notarization Sytem (KNS), for which

they were awarded a U.S. patent. Notarization is the

electronic equivalent of using a notary public to certify and authenticate legal documents. The KNS generates cryptographic keys used to encode and

decode data. When the key is to be used in transmitting a secure message, the KNS "seals" the key

with the identities of the transmitter and the receiver. Once the key has boen "sealed," only the authorized

transmitter can encrypt the message, and only the intended receiver can decrypt it. Neither party can

create a fake message nor deny an authentic message. Using the KNS, the message receiver can

prove to a third party that the message was in fact sent by the authorized transmitter. The KNS has been implemented in ICST's laboratories and is being used experimentally at several Department of Energy national laboratories. The

banking community is considering using the KNS as

a voluntary industry standard to protect financial data

transmitted between banks.

In addition to providing general technical support

to computer users, ICST carries out specific projects on a reimbursable basis for federal agencies. Typical

projects include: assistance in establishing and maintaining software development policies, standards,

and guidelines; evaluation of the data management

capabilities of software; assistance in developing and

implementing computer modernization plans; and de- velopment of prototype network systems to meet

special agency requirements.

The results of ICST research are disseminated

through guides, forecasts, analyses, workshops, and

symposia. ICST publishes a computer science and

technology series that covers applications of new

technology. In addition, ICST is experimenting with information exchange services that computer users can reach by phone using computer terminals and

small computers. Another method used to exchange

information is teleconferences with state and local governments and with industry users.

To help assure

that standards for

linking computer terminals to packetswitched data communications networks

work, electronics en- gineer Michael Wong

has developed test methods and equip- ment.

37
Special Programs

The planning, organizing,

and executing of NBS

research programs re- quire extensive inter- action with numerous

groups to assure that NBS is developing the measurement tech- nology needed by the country and that it is reaching the Bureau's

clients. Many of these

interactions are coordi- nated through the Associate Director for Inter- national Affairs, responsible for cooperative work with other

countries; the Office of Research and Technology Applications,

which disseminates

the results of NBS re- search to industry

and state and local gov- ernments; and the Office of Product Stan- dards Policy, which,

among other activities, provides guidance

and services to state and local weights and measures officials. Lois Jassie, re- search associate

from CEM Corporation,

places a Teflon vessel

containing a biological

sample into a micro- wave oven. She is ex- perimenting with the use of microwaves to dissolve samples for analyzing elements at the trace (parts per

million) level.

38

I
International Affairs

he laws of science and the art of measurement know no international boundaries. To achieve its goals, NBS must inter- act with scientists and institutions of other nations

whose objectives are related to those of NBS. The

Bureau's international activities include: Representation of the United States in international governmental bodies such as the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, which was created

by the Treaty of the Meter, and the International Organization of Legal Metrology.

Participation in bilateral agreements for cooperation

in science and technology. NBS currently is participating in cooperative programs with Canada, the

United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, China, Yugoslavia,

Egypt, and other countries. Provision of training and technical assistance to developing countries. Interchange of guest scientists with foreign countries. In 1983, NBS hosted several hundred short- term foreign visitors, plus 171 foreign guest scientists working at the Bureau, of whom 101 persons re- ceived partial NBS support. The number of foreign

scientists working at the Bureau has increased since

1980, as has the number of NBS personnel visiting or working at foreign institutions. A dramatic increase was in the number of NBS personnel traveling

abroad with partial funding assistance from foreign sources: from less than 10 in 1980 to 143 in 1983. The United States' participation in international standards organizations dates from 1875, when the

United States joined other countries in signing the

Treaty of the Meter. From the time of the Bureau's

birth in 1901, NBS has been assigned the re- sponsibility of representing the U.S. government in technical activities associated with this treaty. The

NBS Director serves as the U.S. delegate to the quadrennial General Conference on Weights and Measures, and is a member of the International Committee of Weights and Measures, which sets policy and

guides the technical work of the General Conference. NBS staff members serve on the eight technical subcommittees of this parent body.

In a similar vein, NBS cooperates with related insti- tutions in the major industrialized countries of the

world, including Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada. An example of this cooperative effort is the U.S. -Japan Panel on Wind and

Seismic Effects, for which NBS serves as co-chair

for the United States. By sharing research results in an annual joint seminar, and by jointly determining

objectives for future research, the two countries are able to work together to minimize future damage by

earthquakes, hurricanes, and typhoons.

An example of the Bureau's work with developing

countries is its program of providing technical assis- tance to Egyptian standards organizations. Sponsored and funded by the U.S. Agency for Inter- national Development, Egyptian scientists are trained

at NBS, and NBS specialists are sent to Egypt to provide consultation and assistance in procuring special equipment.

Literally hundreds

of guest workers

from other countries

visit or work at NBS

each year. Tao GuangYi of the People's Republic of China (PRC)

works with researchers

in the NBS Center for Analytical Chemistry.

The Bureau has formal

exchange agreements

with the PRC.

39
Office of Research and Technology Appiications

I he amount of research done by federal lab- oratories is significant: about $11 billion

in 1984. For the nation to gain the maximum

benefit from this research and technology devel- opment, the results must be actively made available

to users and interested members of the public. This

is the goal of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Inno- vation Act of 1 980, which emphasizes the active

transfer of technology to solve specific problems.

In response to this Act, NBS established the Office

of Research and Technology Applications

(ORTA) in March 1981. ORTA's program is dedi- cated to improving accessibility of federal tech- nology, in particular that done by NBS laboratories,

to U.S. industry and state and local govern- ments. ORTA joined in the formation of a Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC), which has become a network of more than 300 of the federal laboratories dedicated to improving the availability of federal technology. In collaboration with the FLC,

ORTA developed a "how to primer" as guidance for the transfer of federal technology and a Directory for Federal Laboratories, which has been a

"best seller" among private industry and govern- ment. To improve industrial access to the Bureau's

research and services, ORTA surveyed the members

of the Industrial Research Institute and the Commercial Development Association to determine the

level of industrial interest in federal technology,

the manner in which industry acquires federal tech- nology, and the ways in which U.S. industry prefers to be informed of technological opportunities in federal laboratories. The findings were disseminated among federal and industrial laboratories, and

NBS is using the results to better focus its communications.

One of the most popular ways to make NBS

research and facilities accessible to U.S. industry is through the Industrial Research Associate pro- gram, which NBS has run since the 1920's. Under

this program, industrial scientists and engineers

join their NBS peers in solving technical problems

which interest industry and help implement the NBS mission. Industrial interest in this program is at an all-time high: industry is currently sponsoring

1 55 research associates in 55 separate programs at the Bureau.

In keeping with the growing national interest in industry/government interaction, ORTA has par- ticipated in a wide range of jointly sponsored activities. The Office has arranged and participated in industry/government workshops to advise private U.S. companies of technology developments in federal laboratories that are of possible commercial

interest. The Office also helped state officials to organize regional technology fairs. ORTA staff members have given speeches on subjects such as

the commercialization of federal research and devel- opment at national conferences. The Office has

arranged for NBS managers to brief business leaders through the Department of Commerce's Office

of Business Liaison. Through ORTA, city, county, and state govern- ment officials regularly receive information at meetings, exhibits, panels, and workshops on how

the Bureau can help to solve technical problems

faced by state and local governments. Subjects

of particular interest which have received such attention are law enforcement product standards, fire research, building technology, and developments in computer technology.

In a cooperative

industry-government effort to develop

process control sen- sors for the steel in- dustry, NBS metallurgist Floyd A. Mauer

(left) and David Rogers,

American Iron and

Steel Institute research

associate from U.S. Steel Corporation, set up a cylindrical steel

billet for ultrasonic to- mographic temperature

imaging measurements.

40
Office of Product Standards Policy

J

Hach year, the Bureau receives more than k 6,000 requests for information regarding standards and certification and 10,000

concerning weights and measures. These requests

are handled by the Office of Product Standards Policy (OPSP). Providing such information is just one of the functions of OPSP, however, which formulates and implements federal policy relating to national and international standardization, laboratory accreditation, and legal metrology. As part of this effort, the

Office works with domestic, foreign, and international organizations concerned with standardization and re- lated measurement activities. It provides guidance

and services to state and local weights and measures jurisdictions and manages U.S. international le- gal metrology obligations.

One of the Office's ongoing activities is administration of the Federal Interagency Committee on

Standards Policy. This committee produces guidelines for federal agency use of private sector stan- dards and certification programs and for employee

participation in standards activities. Because standards are crucial to the success of international trade, OPSP provides technical analysis

of trade issues and carries out U.S. notification re- sponsibilities specified by the Standards Code of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The Office participates in national and international

activities to improve the reliability of standardsrelated results produced by testing laboratories. It conducts workshops on testing methods, develops

proficiency testing techniques, and gathers information on laboratory performance evaluation methods.

It serves as the clearinghouse on laboratory accreditation programs, and operates national voluntary

programs accrediting more than 1 00 laboratories for testing of carpets, insulation, and a variety of other

products.

Since 1905, the National Conference on Weights

and Measures has promoted uniformity of state and

local requirements pertaining to retail marketplace measurements. OPSP sponsors this conference, de- velops procedures for evaluating the adequacy of measuring instruments used in the marketplace, coordinates training programs for measuring equipment

inspectors, and supports state metrology laboratories.The Office also manages U.S. participation in the

International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML),

which aims for international uniformity of legal metrology requirements. In recent years, the United

States has chaired some 24 OIML committees of in- terest to industry as a means of increasing U.S. ex- ports and ensuring international recognition of U.S. measurement practices. The Office presently manages U.S. participation in more than 100 OIML committees in areas vital to the nation's trade and legal

metrology interests.

Sound engineer

Thomas Bartel (left) and physical engineer

Douglas Thomas

inspect instruments in the NBS anechoic

chamber for use in an

acoustical testing ser- vices laboratory accreditation program.

41
Resources

The Bureau's work is carried out by highly

skilled staff who are of- ten recognized as national or international leaders in their specialities. In Gaithersburg,

Maryland, located

north of Washington,

D.C., NBS has about

2,300 full-time employ- ees working in 26

buildings on 230 hect- ares (575 acres).

The Bureau also has

nearly 380 full-time staffers who work in 1

4

buildings on 83 hect- ares (208 acres) in Boulder, Colorado.

The Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics, cosponsored by

NBS and the University of Colorado, is lo- cated in Boulder,

where scientists study

atomic and molecular

physics and astro- physics. At Ft. Collins,

Colorado, NBS operates

radio stations WWV

and WWVB, which

broadcast standard

time and frequency infor- mation. Another station, WWVH, broadcasts

from Kauai, Hawaii.

In an overhead

view of the

small angle neutron

scattering (SANS)

spectrometer, physicist Charles Glinka an- alyzes data at a computerized color-display

terminal linked to a two-dimensional neutron detector located

inside the 3.5-meter

flight path tube behind

the sample chamber.

42
I

As the nation's central reference laboratory, the Bureau houses a number of special

facilities and equipment, many of which are

available for use by the scientific and engineering

communities—some for conducting proprietary research. For example, the NBS research reactor is a major national facility for cooperative research

in materials characterization. In the past year, over 150 scientists from 15 industrial firms, 22 universities, and 18 federal agencies used the NBS reactor

in projects ranging from nuclear theory to anal- yses of food contaminants.

An electron accelerator, capable of producing well- focused electron beams at energies between 14 and

140 million volts, is used to produce high-energy

electrons, positrons, photons, and neutrons for nuclear physics research, neutron measurements and

standards, analytical chemistry, and dosimetry re- search. As part of this facility, a 200-million-volt microtron, which will be a user facility for research in nuclear physics, is now being installed. From

1985-1990, this will be the only U.S. accelerator

available for high-current, forefront nuclear coin- cidence experiments in the 200-million-volt energy

range. The Bureau's Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF II) is a 280-million-volt electron storage

ring that radiates synchrotron radiation which is highly collimated, nearly linearly polarized, and of cal- culable intensity. SURF II is used in studies in atomic, molecular, biomolecular, and solid state

physics; surface and materials science; electrooptics; and chemistry and radiation effects on matter. Among other NBS facilities are an Automated

Manufacturing Research Facility, several environ- mental chambers, a tri-directional structural testing

facility, a fire research laboratory which includes a facility for smoke movement studies, a 2-story structural steel test facility, and a network protocol testing

Total NBS Operating Funds—All Sources

(in millions of dollars) FY 1983

(actual) FY 1984

(estimate)

FY 1985

(estimate)

Measurement and engineering

research and standards: $168 .9 $174.6 $170.3

Measurement research and

standards 82.3 83.5 91.0 Engineering measurements and

standards 47.3 48.4 47.2 Computer sciences and

technology 12.1 14.0 8.5 Core measurement research

for new technologies 18.2 19.6 20.2

Fire research 9.0 9.1 3.4

Competence and central technical

support: 17.6 26.1 30.8

Technical competence fund 7.2 8.1 8.7

Central technical support 10.4 18.0 22.1

Total NBS $186.5 $200.7 $201.1

and evaluation laboratory. In addition, an extensive

instrument shops group answers specialised re- search needs. Shop capabilities include glass blowing, optics, and metalworking.

In fiscal year 1982, the Bureau operated on a budget of $172.9 million. Direct Congressional appropri- ations accounted for about 61 percent of NBS' fiscal year 1983 budget of $186.5 million, with an additional 31 percent resulting from work performed by

NBS for other government agencies. The sale of NBS goods and services, such as Standard Refer- ence Materials and calibrations, provided the final 8

percent.

43
Directory

Director

Deputy Director

Office of the Legal Adviser

Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs

Office of Research and Technology Applications

Associate Director for International Affairs

Associate Director for Programs, Budget, & Finance

Program Office Budget Office

Office of the Comptroller

National Measurement

Laboratory

Office of Standard Reference Data

Office of Measurement Services Center for Basic Standards

Center for Radiation Research

Center for Chemical Physics

Center for Analytical Chemistry

Office of Product Standards Policy

National Engineering

Laboratory

Center for Applied Mathematics

Center for Electronics &

Electrical Engineering

Center for Manufacturing Engineering

Center for Building Technology

Center for Fire Research

Center for Chemical Engineering

Office of the Director NBS Boulder Laboratories

Director of Administration EEO Support

Information Resources & Services

Public Information Management Systems

Plant

Facilities Services Occupational Health & Safety Personnel

Office Management

Institute for Computer

Sciences & Technology

Center for Programming Science & Technology

Center for Computer Systems Engineering

Center for Materials Science

Inorganic Materials

Fracture and Deformation Polymers

Metallurgy Reactor Radiation Nondestructive Evaluation

44
J

echnical work is carried out in the

National Measurement Laboratory, the

National Engineering Laboratory, the

Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology, and the Center for Materials Sci- ence. These groups are supported by the

Office of the Director of Administration; the Office of the Director, NBS/Boulder

Laboratories; and the Office of the Associate Director for Programs, Budget, and Fi- nance. This amalgam of people and pro- grams forms a community dedicated to

service. An interdisciplinary approach al- lows NBS to provide the nation with scientific measurements of high precision

and accuracy, coupled with solutions for current and future technological problems.This brochure highlights only some

of the Bureau's programs. For more infor- mation on specific projects, contact the people listed in this directory. To reach

members of the Gaithersburg, MD staff, dial (301) 921 + extension or write to the

National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. Bureau staff located

in Boulder, CO, can be contacted on

(303) 497 + extension noted in the directory, or write to the National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, CO 80303. Boulder

staff members are designated in the di- rectory with asterisks.

Office of the Director

Dr. E. Ambler, Director (241 1) Mr. R.G. Kammer, Deputy Director (2451)

Legal Adviser

Mr. A.J. Farrar (2425)

Office of Congressional and

Legislative Affairs

Mrs. E.C. Cassidy, Director (2441)

Office of Research and

Technology Applications

Dr. H.E. Sorrows, Director (2226)

Industrial Liaison

Mr. P.R. de Bruyn (3591) State and Local Governments Liaison

Mr. J.M. Wyckoff (3814)

Associate Director for International Affairs

Dr. E.L. Brady (3641)

Office of Product Standards Policy

Dr. S.I. Warshaw, Director (3751)

Mr. J.L. Donaldson, Deputy Director (3751)

Office of the Director,

NBS/Boulder Laboratories

The Office of the Director, NBS/Boulder

Laboratories, which is located in Boulder,

CO, oversees the technical programs of the NBS/Boulder Laboratories. These laboratories conduct research in time and fre- quency, quantum physics, and thermodynamics for the National Measurement

Laboratory and in materials science for the Center for Materials Science. The laboratories also carry out programs for the National Engineering Laboratory in electro- magnetics, thermophysical properties, and

fluid dynamics.

Dr. R.A. Kamper, Director (3237)*

Office of the Associate

Director for Programs, Budget,

and Finance

The Office of the Associate Director for Pro- grams, Budget, and Finance plans, develops, and evaluates Bureau-level pro- grams and formulates and carries out

policies and strategies for programmatic,

budgetary, and financial matters. It devel- ops techniques for and coordinates the re- view of technical and overhead pro- grams; serves as the NBS Director's staff for Bureau-level, programmatic budget

formulation and execution and finance

matters; and develops and maintains

mechanisms to monitor planned and actual uses of resources by providing inte- grated, evaluated information on program

progress, opportunities, and resources to the NBS Director. In addition, the Office ad- vises management on significant

changes and deviations and recommends

program, budget, finance, and accounting

priorities to the NBS Director.

Dr. P.L.M. Heydemann, Associate Director (3361)

Program Office

Dr. D.A. Swyt, Chief (3137)

Budget Office

Mr. T.A. Gary, Budget Officer (2544)

Office of the Comptroller

Mr. D.B. Shreve, Comptroller (2507)

45
Office of the Director of

Administration

The Office of the Director of Administration directs the management of Bureau- wide facilities, information systems, and

management and administrative services in- cluding library and publications services; procurement, administrative computing,

technical and public information functions; personnel, management analysis,

health, safety, and security services as

well as physical plant, facilities, and space

management. The Office also decides on

policies and plans and directs actions to as- sure that these services are responsive

to the needs of the technical programs.

Mr. G.W. Chamberlin, Jr., Director (2477)

Mr. K.E. Bell, Deputy Director (3444)

Equal Employment Opportunity

Support Division

Mr. A.C. Lewis, Chief (3494)

Public Information Division

Mr. R.S. Franzen, Chief (3112)

Management Systems Division

Mr. R.A. Kashurba, Chief (3384)

Information Resources and Services

Division Ms. P.W. Berger, Chief (3405)

Plant Division

Mr. J.N. Brewer, Chief (2825)

Facilities Services Division

Mr. W.J. Rabbitt, Chief (2525)

Occupational Health and Safety

Division

Mr. L.E. Pevey, Chief (3366)

Personnel Division

Mrs. E.W. Stroud, Chief (3555)

Office Management Division

Mr. R. de la Menardiere, Chief (3521)

Boulder Executive Office

Mr. A.R. Hauler, Executive Officer (3955)* Instrument Shops Division

Mr. D.W. Cook, Chief (3855)*

Plant Division

Mr. R.L. Rodger, Chief (3886)*

46

Center for Materials Science

The Center for Materials Science (CMS)

provides the nation with a central basis

for uniform physical measurements, measurement methods, and measurement

services basic to the processing, microstructural characterization, properties,

and performance of materials. It provides

government, industry, universities, and consumers with standards, measurement

methods, data, and quantitative understanding concerning metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, and glasses. CMS

also obtains accurate experimental data on

the behavior and properties of materials under service conditions to assure effective use of materials.

Dr. D.H. Reneker, Acting Director (2891)

Dr. D.H. Reneker, Deputy Director (2891)

Office of Nondestructive Evaluation

Dr. H.T. Yolken, Chief (3331)

Inorganic Materials Division

Dr. T.D. Coyle, Chief (2847) Fracture and Deformation Division

Dr. R.P. Reed, Chief (3870)*

Polymers Division

Dr. R.K. Eby, Chief (3734)

Metallurgy Division

Dr. L.R. Testardi, Chief (2811)

Reactor Radiation Division

Dr. R.S. Carter, Chief (2421)

mmmmBmemmmmmmmmmmmum

National Measurement

Laboratory

The National Measurement Laboratory

(NML) provides the national system of physical and chemical measurements; coor- dinates the system with measurement

systems of other nations; and furnishes essential services leading to accurate and

uniform physical and chemical measurements throughout the nation's sci- entific community, industry, and commerce. NML also furnishes advisory and re- search services to other government agencies; conducts physical and chemical re- search; develops, produces, and distributes Standard Reference Materials; and pro- vides standard reference data and cali- bration services.

Dr. D.R. Johnson, Director (2828)

Dr. C.W. Reimann, Deputy Director

for Resources and Operations (2878)

Dr. CO Gravatt, Deputy Director

for Programs (2761)

Standard Reference Data

Dr. D.R. Lide, Jr., Director (2467)

Measurement Services

Mr. G.A. Uriano, Director (2606)

Office of Standard Reference

Materials

Mr. S.D. Rasberry, Chief (3479)

Office of Physical Measurement Services

Dr. R.K. Kirby, Acting Chief (2805)

Center for Basic Standards

Dr. K.G. Kessler, Director (2001)

Dr. J.D. Simmons, Deputy Director (2001)

Electricity Division

Dr. B.N. Taylor, Chief (2701)

Temperature and Pressure Division

Dr. R.J. Soulen, Jr., Chief (3315)

Length and Mass Division

Dr. J.D. Simmons, Chief (2001)

Time and Frequency Division

Dr. D.B. Sullivan, Chief (3335)*

Quantum Physics Division

Dr. G.H. Dunn, Chief (3527)*
I

Center for Radiation Research

Dr. R.S. Caswell, Acting Director (2551)

Dr. W.A. Cassatt, Deputy Director (2551)

Atomic and Plasma Radiation Division

Dr. W.L Wiese, Chief (2071)

Nuclear Radiation Division

Dr. R.A. Schrack, Acting Chief (2625)

Radiation Physics Division

Dr. W.R. Ott, Chief (3201)

Radiometric Physics Division

Dr. K.D. Mielenz, Chief (3864)

Radiation Source and

Instrumentation Division

Dr. S. Penner, Chief (2503)

Center for Chemical Physics

Dr. P.J. Ausloos, Director (2711)

Dr. R.A. Haines, Deputy Director (2711)

Surface Science Division

Dr. C.J. Powell, Chief (2188)

Chemical Kinetics Division

Dr. J. Herron, Chief (2792)

Chemical Thermodynamics Division

Dr. S. Abramowitz, Chief (2131)

Molecular Spectroscopy Division

Dr. A. Weber, Chief (2021)

Center for Analytical Chemistry

Dr. H.S. Hertz, Director (2851)

Dr. R.A. Velapoldi, Deputy Director (2852)

Inorganic Analytical Research Division

Dr. J.R. DeVoe, Chief (2748)

Organic Analytical Research Division

Dr. W.E. May, Chief (3778)

Gas and Particulate Science Division

Dr. H.L Rook, Chief (2886)

Institute for Computer

Sciences and Technology

The Institute for Computer Sciences and

Technology (ICST) develops computer stan- dards, conducts research, and provides

scientific and technical services to aid federal agencies in the selection, acquisition, application, and use of computer tech- nology to improve effectiveness and

economy in government operations in ac- cordance with Public Law 89-306, rele- vant Executive Orders, and other directives. ICST manages a government-wide pro- gram for standards development and use,

including management of federal participation in ADP voluntary standardization

activities. In addition, ICST provides technical support in: the development of federal ADP management and procurement poli- cies, the selection and direction of federally

sponsored computer research and devel- opment, and the resolution of computer utili- zation issues.

Mr. J.H. Burrows, Director (3151)

Mr. R.C. Bainbridge,

Deputy Director (3151)

Center for Programming Science and Technology

Mr. T.N. Pyke, Jr., Director (3436)

Data Management and

Programming Languages Division Ms. H.M. Wood, Chief (3553)

Systems and Software Technology

Division

Mr. A.L. Hankinson, Chief (2208)

Center for Computer Systems

Engineering

Mr. R.P. Blanc, Director (3817)

Systems and Network Architecture

Division

Dr. J.F. Heafner, Chief (3537)

Systems Components Division

Dr. J. P. Riganati, Chief (2705)

National Engineering

Laboratory

The National Engineering Laboratory (NEL)

furnishes technology and technical ser- vices to users in the public and private sectors to help to solve national problems in the public interest. NEL conducts research

in engineering and applied science in support of these efforts; builds and maintains competence in the necessary disci- plines required to carry out this research

and technical services; and develops engineering data and measurement capabilities. NEL also provides engineering measurement traceability services; develops test methods and proposes engineering stan- dards and code changes; develops and pro- poses new engineering practices; and

develops and improves mechanisms to transfer results of its research to the ulti- mate user.

Dr. J.W. Lyons, Director (3434)

Mr. S. Kramer, Deputy Director for Programs (3233)

Dr. J.R. Wright, Deputy Director for Operations (3574)

Dr. G.A. Sinnott, Associate Director

for Technical Evaluation (3235)

Office of Energy-Related Inventions

Mr. G.P. Lewett, Chief (3694)

Law Enforcement Standards

Laboratory

Mr. L. Eliason, Chief (3161)

Office of Product Safety Technology

Mr. S. Kramer, Acting Chief (3233)

Office of Sponsored Programs

Mr. K.R. Goodwin, Chief (3447)

4

-
-

Center for Applied

Mathematics

Dr. B.H. Colvin, Director (2541)

Dr. J.R. Rosenblatt, Deputy Director (2541)

Mathematical Analysis Division

Dr. R.G. Rehm, Chief (2631)

Operations Research Division

Dr. J.H. Engel, Chief (3855)

Scientific Computing Division

Dr. F.E. Sullivan, Chief (3395)

Statistical Engineering Division

Dr. H.H. Ku, Chief (3651)

Computer Services Division

Mr. M.R. Shaver, Chief (3424)

Center for Electronics and

Electrical Engineering

Mr. J.C. French, Director (3357)

Dr. A.H. Sher, Deputy Director (3357)

Electrosystems Division

Dr. O. Petersons, Chief (2328)

Electromagnetic Fields Division

Mr. C.K.S. Miller, Chief (3131)*

Electromagnetic Technology Division

Dr. R.A. Kamper, Chief (3535)*

Semiconductor Materials and

Processes Division

Mr. R.I. Scace, Chief (3786)

Semiconductor Devices and

Circuits Division

Dr. K.F. Galloway, Chief (3541)

48

Center for Manufacturing

Engineering

Dr. J.A. Simpson, Director (3421)

Mr. G.A. Rowland, Deputy Director (3421)

Fabrication Technology Division

Mr. D.S. Bettwy, Chief (2436)

Mechanical Production Metrology

Division

Mr. D. Flynn, Chief (3565)

Automated Production Technology

Division

Dr. R. Hocken, Chief (2577)

Industrial Systems Division

Dr. J. Albus, Chief (2181)

Center for Building Technology

Dr. R.N. Wright, Director (3377)

Mr. J.G. Gross, Deputy Director (3375)

Structures Division

Dr. C.G. Culver, Chief (2196)

Building Physics Division

Dr. T. Kusuda, Acting Chief (3637)

Building Equipment Division

Dr. J.E. Hill, Chief (3465)

Building Materials Division

Dr. G.J. Frohnsdorff, Chief (3704)

Center for Fire Research

Dr. J.E. Snell, Director (3143)

Mr. J. Winger, Deputy Director (3143)

Office of Fire Research Resources

Dr. R.S. Levine, Chief (3845)

Fire Safety Technology Division

Dr. A.J. Fowell, Chief (3255)

Fire Measurement and Research

Division

Dr. R. Gann, Chief (2963)

Center for Chemical Engineering

Mr. J. Hord, Director (5108)*

Dr. M.M. Hessel, Deputy Director (2034)

Chemical Engineering Sciences

Division

Mr. N. Olien, Chief (3257)*

Thermophysics Division

Dr. H.J. Raveche, Chief (2443)

Chemical Process Metrology Division

Dr. H.G. Semerjian, Acting Chief (3281)

<» US GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1984 - 421-009 - 227/723
Photography:

Photo of E. Ambler by Larry Hale. Photo on page 3 by Bessmarie Young. (Young collaborated on photo on page 35). All other Gaithersburg photos by Mark

Heifer. Boulder photos by Rob Johns.