For over a century, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been providing the measurements and standards that serves as the foundation for interoperability and improvement in man-made technologies. NIST coordinates and then shares “standards” that have a significant impact on the way industries develop capabilities on a very broad range of topics, from smart electric power and electronic health records to atomic clocks, advanced nano materials, computer chips and so many other products and services. One of the more important cross-cutting domains NIST has been involved with is Metrology, the scientific study of measurement. This makes sense, what good is a standard if it cannot be measured?

One new NIST program known as NIST on a CHIP (NOAC) makes creative use of quantum technologies to deliver advanced measurement solutions that once required a lab to users anywhere anytime.  The time for leaders to think of how this may change your business model is now, especially for leaders in medicine, defense, academia and consumer electronics.

NOAC seeks to shrink different pieces of measurement equipment that the world is currently relying on.  For example, a NIST Strontium atomic clock, currently room-sized, will be reduced to chip-scale size.  By embedding this measurement device directly in the equipment, calibration is no longer necessary (and it never needs to be returned to NIST).  It’s correct, all the time – no drift.

As we move towards machine-to-machine communications, accurate sensing becomes more important. Additionally, the advances in nanofabrication and integrated photonics enables these large-scale measurement devices to manufactured.  NOAC is investigating ways to use quantum properties to make intrinsically accurate sensors with lower noise limits.   They are doing this by exploiting the quantum mechanical properties of natural materials.  Future efforts will attempt to create new materials that will have the quantum properties they need.

This program looks at a suite of quantum-based measurement devices that can become tiny, calibrate themselves using quantum properties and can be manufactured at scale.  The goal is to take the measurement services out of the lab and give it directly to the end user, on a chip.

NIST currently has over 18 active projects in 11 different technology areas with over 60 different companies participating.  Some enticing examples:

• E-Field Sensing, currently being tested by the Army.
• Chip-scale Atomic Clock, Wavelength References, over 120,000 sold.
• Laser power (photonic power), started by the Navy but adopted by the Air Force.
• Photonic Thermometer, collaborating with Academia on photonic dosimetry.
• Voltage, deployed by the army.
• Mass, in prototype.
• Radiometry, measuring the RF spectrum, currently launched on a CubeSat and being tested by NASA.
• Laser measurements.

NIST isn’t a funding organization, but the work they do pivots future technological developments.  Keep an eye on this NIST on a Chip because use cases will grow and will require companies to commercialize them.  Just think how much it would help Department of Defense, as an example, to have accurate (tiny) measurement devices that can be embedded in equipment and never need to go back to NIST for calibration.

For a short video overview see: https://www.nist.gov/noac

About the Author

Chris Ward

Chris Ward (Commander, U.S. Navy (Retired)) has over 30 years of experience helping the Department of Defense (DoD) solve difficult technology requirements. She has a proven track record of building, maintaining, securing and certifying technology solutions for use within DoD. She works with Industry to identify key opportunities and provides strategic guidance and support. She is a strategic analyst and cybersecurity professional who has deep expertise in improving enterprise cybersecurity.