NIST-on-A-Chip Technologies 

Greg Strouse

Acting Deputy Associate Director for Management Resources

Associate Director of Measurement Services
Commercialization of 

NIST-on-a-Chip

enables 

democratization of 

Quantum SI

The Quantum SI and NIST-on-a-Chip
Classical SI Dissemination Chain

Primary Standard

SECONDARY 

CALIBRATION LAB USERS

Secondary 

Standard Gauge

Calibrated 

Gauge
Quantum SI Dissemination Chain

NOAC Pressure

Standard and Sensor

1. You interrogate nature so 

you get the right answer

2. Uncertainties still exist

3. SI traceability is intrinsic

NO NEED TO CALIBRATE

WHEN QUANTUMBASED METROLOGY 

REPLACES CLASSICAL 

METROLOGY
Metrology Matters

GOAL: Ubiquitous Metrology is NIST-quality standards and 

sensors available directly where customers/users need them
The Commercialization Path Forward

Fit for Purpose:

o Direct SI-traceable measurement capability built into instruments

o Devices become flexible, manufactural, and usable 
Chip Scale Atomic Clock

(10–11 uncertainty)

An Example of Commercialization

Telecom Networks

>$2 trillion/year globally

As Commercialized
NIST-on-a-Chip: Platform Vision

Holistic NIST-on-a-Chip Platform

• Additive measurement capabilities over time

• Replacement of classical sensors and standards 

• Combination of sensors is a multiplier and 

enables completely new and exciting 

opportunities. 

Flexible

Manufacturable

Usable
NIST-on-a-Chip Devices

Vacuum

UHV and XHV Humidity Smart Mirror

Laser, RF, & μwave Power

Pressure

Radiometers

Optical-Fiber Power Voltage Temperature

AC and DC

Resistance

Graphene QHR
NOAC for Humidity: Broad Markets

Healthcare &

Pharmaceutical

Earth Climate

Food & Beverage 

Quality Traceability

Armed Services

Deployable & Accurate:

o “Humidity” from 

thermodynamic temperature

o Inherently quantum 

phenomenon

o Consistent with emergent 

Quantum-SI

Robust & Low Cost:

o Integrated photonics –

leverages advances in telecom 

o Based on SOI platform

o Amenable to mass 

manufacturing

Semiconductor Industry

Regulatory Agencies
NOAC Platform Strategy

“Just four” NOAC devices

Temperature Pressure Vacuum

What happens if you integrate all four onto one chip ?

Humidity
Dosimetry

Extreme 

radiation

Temperature

Nanocalorimetry

Gas 

Flow

Chemical 

sensing

Biological 

sensing

Oil & gas 

exploratio

n

Testing of 

Standard 

Model

Health 

monitoring

Wearable 

sensors

Basic

Science

IoT

Real time 

process 

control

Radiometry

Gravity 

gradiometer

Embedded 

sensors

Vacuum

Humidity and 

moisture

Optogenetics

Pressure

Dimensional

Inertial 

sensors

“Just four” NOAC devices

METROLOGY APPLICATIONS
NOA

Infrastructure

monitoring

Semiconductors

Public

Energy Safety

Harvesting

Fuel

Cells

Chemical

Process

Inertial 

guidance

Oil & gas 

exploration

Aerospace

Health 

monitoring

Automobile

manufacturing

Food

Space Safety

Exploration

Medical 

implants

Autonomous

Vehicles

Particle

Physics

Agriculture

Genetic

Engineering

Advanced 

Manufacturing

Homeland

Security

Cancer

diagnostics

Structural

Engineering

Regulatory

agencies

“Just four” NOAC devices

TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS
QUESTIONS?