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PART II
Summary Assessments of the Individual Laboratories
Part I of this report presents the Board's synopsis of the 2003 assessment and its overall assessment
of the NIST Measurement and Standards Laboratories. This part provides a laboratory-level assessment
of each individual laboratory. Part III presents a technical review at the division level for each laboratory.
Chapter 2
Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory
Chapter 3
Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory
Chapter 4
Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory
Chapter 5
Physics Laboratory
Chapter 6
Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory
Chapter 7
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
Chapter 8
Information Technology Laboratory
13
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Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory
15
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Representative terms from entire chapter:
electrical engineering
16
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NIST MEASUREMENT AND STANDARDS LABORATORIES: FY 2003
PANEL MEMBERS
Constance J. Chang-Hasnain, University of California, Berkeley, Chair
Robert R. Doering, Texas Instruments, Vice Chair
Thomas E. Anderson, II-IV Incorporated, Division of Litton Systems, Inc.
James A. Bain, Carnegie Mellon University
Peter J. Delfyett, University of Central Florida
Michael Ettenberg, Suzmar LLC
Thomas J. Granola, Ohio State University
Katherine L. Hall, PhotonEx Corporation
Paul S. Ho, University of Texas, Austin
David C. Larbalestier, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Tingye Li, AT&T Research (retired)
Tso-Ping Ma, Yale University
Robert C. McDonald, Intel Corporation (retired)
Bruce Melson, GE Aircraft Engines
Terry P. Orlando, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ghery S. Pettit, Intel Corporation
Robert Rottmayer, Seagate Research
Douglas K. Rytting, Agilent Technologies, Inc.
Dale J. Van Harlingen, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Ronald Waxman, University of Virginia (retired)
H. Lee Willis, ABE, Inc.
Barry M. Wood, National Research Council Canada
Submitted for the panel by its Chair, Constance J. Chang-Hasnain, and its Vice Chair, Robert R.
Doering, this assessment of the fiscal year 2003 activities of the Electronics and Electrical Engineering
Laboratory is based on site visits by individual panel members, a formal meeting of the panel on
February 20-21, 2003, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and documents provided by the laboratory.
1National Institute of Standards and Technology, Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory, Programs, Activities,
and Accomplishments, NISTIR 6625, 6626, 6627, 6628, 6933, 6934, 6952, 6953, National Institute of Standards and Technol-
ogy, Gaithersburg, Md., January 2003. These books for the KEEL divisions are available online at
ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
LABORATORY-LEVEL REVIEW
17
The mission of the NIST Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory (KEEL) is to strengthen
the U.S. economy and improve the quality of life by providing measurement science and technology and
by advancing standards, primarily for the electronics and electrical industries. This statement is sup-
ported by a strategic plan, which was revised during 2002.2
KEEL is organized in six divisions and two offices: the Electricity Division, Semiconductor Elec-
tronics Division, Electromagnetic Technology Division, Radio-Frequency Technology Division, Opto-
electronics Division, Magnetic Technology Division, Office of Microelectronics Programs (OMP), and
Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) (see Figure 2.1~. This chapter provides an assessment of
the laboratory overall, and each division is reviewed in Chapter 9. The discussion of OMP is included in
the section "Semiconductor Electronics Division" in Chapter 9. The OLES was not reviewed during
fiscal year 2003.
Major Observations
The panel presents the following major observations from its assessment of the Electronics and
Electrical Engineering Laboratory:
· The work in KEEL continues to be of very high technical merit and quality. Many staff members
are recognized as world leaders in their fields. In general, there is significant linkage between KEEL
projects and the goals of the laboratory supporting NIST's mission. This situation is due largely to the
efforts of an intensely committed staff and to management's support and recognition of the value of
these efforts. So that KEEL can achieve greater impact through higher visibility, the panel recommends
a more concerted effort to publicize the accomplishments of KEEL research and its satisfactory cus-
tomer services.
· In general, the morale of the staff in the laboratory remains high. This is due principally to the
excellent work environment, talented and helpful co-workers, and significant flexibility in conducting
research.
· The extended period of excessively lean budgets for the support of current laboratory activities
now clearly has an influence on its present and future capabilities and effectiveness. Short budgets
present significant constraints on the laborator~'s capabilities to execute its strategic plan and. in
particular, seriously affect succession planning because it is not possible to hire new people until
experienced staff members have retired. To prevent the loss of valuable knowledge, new people should
be hired and trained by experienced staff members prior to their retirement. In addition, the panel is very
concerned with the reduction in numbers of personnel resulting from the continued static or declining
budgets and also with the ultimate impact of these reductions on staff morale and the technical quality
of work.
· Planning for the equipping and use of the Advanced Measurement Laboratory (AML) is now in
progress; however, the panel is highly concerned with the fact that insufficient funding is available to
move personnel and sophisticated equipment into the facility and to support the AML's operations once
2U.S. Department of Commerce, Technology Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Electronics
and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Strategic Plan 2002, NISTIR 6844, National Institute of Standards and Technology,
Gaithersburg, Md., February 2002.
18
| Electricity Division | Ele~ctromagnetic
· Electronic Technology
Instruments and Division
Metrology · Quantum Voltage
· Fundamental · Cryogenic
Electrical Sensors
Measurements · Nanoscale
· Electrical Systems Cryoelectronics
· Electronic · Quantum
Information Information and
Technologies Terahertz
Technology
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NIST MEASUREMENT AND STANDARDS LABORATORIES: FY 2003
Office of
Microelectronics
Programs
Electronics
and Electrical
Engineering
Laboratory
Office of Law
Enforcement
Standards
Optoelectronics
Division
· Sources and
Detectors
· Optical Fiber and
Components
· Optoelectronic
Manufacturing
Semiconductor
Electronics Division
· Materials Technology
· Advanced
Microelectronics
Technology
· Device Technology
· Integrated Circuit
Technology
Radio -Frequency
Technology
Division
· Radio-Frequency
Electronics
· Radio-Frequency
Fields
Magnetic
Technology
Division
· Magnetics
· Superconductivity
FIGURE 2.1 Organizational structure of the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory. Listed under
each division are its groups.
it is occupied. Prolonged moving periods will disrupt normal laboratory activities and the capacity at
which the AML's services can be provided. At the present time there is no assurance that adequate
funding will be made available to sunnort the move. start-un expenditures. and operational and mainte-
. · . .. · ~ , . · . · . . · . .. . . - .. -
nance costs.
· The panel supports KEEL's efforts in staff preparation for leadership positions and encourages
continued and augmented training opportunities to deal with issues of succession associated with the
impending retirement of key managerial personnel. In addition, the panel recommends more communi-
cation between management and staff on the alignment of rewards with performance indicators.
ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
19
· Impressive progress has been made by the staff in realigning projects with the Strategic Focus
Areas and toward OA opportunities. The panel recommends a more focused and coordinated effort
across divisions to effectively leverage expertise and capabilities.
Technical Merit
The technical merit and quality of research and services carried out by KEEL continued at a very
high level during this assessment period. Many projects navigate the cutting edge of scientific under-
standing and are closely integrated with and serve to advance the standards and calibration services that
the laboratory is asked to perform. In the following brief list the panel points out some of the projects
that stand out for their excellence and that illustrate the merit of the laboratory's work:
· KEEL programs in metrology continue to be at the forefront of similar efforts, with many
measurements achieving the world, s best performance including the volt, the ohm, optical power, and
wavelength standards, among others. These programs help to retain U.S. leadership in the field of
standards, and in some cases eventually redefine the standards. The panel was particularly impressed
with the exceptional level of technical skill and creativity of the laboratory's researchers.
· The Electronic Kilogram project continues to advance, with the goal of providing an alternative
definition of the unit of mass that is based on measured quantities determined by fundamental physical
constants of nature. The unit of mass is currently based on a physical artifact, whose copies differ by
non-negligible amounts. The project combines the use of a number of existing electrical standards (the
volt and the ohm) in order to generate a known force through means of a complex, yet fundamentally
deterministic, magnetic system. Numerous foreign bureaus of standards are making efforts to eliminate
these artifacts. The program at NIST is at the forefront of these efforts.
· The Advanced MOS (metal-oxide semiconductor) Device Reliability and Characterization project
has successfully kept pace with mainstream International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
(ITRS) requirements for silicon dioxide measurements. Research efforts continue to provide fundamen-
tal understanding and physical models for the investigation of silicon dioxide failure mechanisms. The
NIST standards are now being adopted internationally and are being used, for example, in the qualifica-
tion of offshore foundries.
· The Quantum Information and Terahertz Technology project involves the development of sen-
sors with improved accuracy, speed, and sensitivity in the millimeter-wave and near-infrared regime.
Applications include the identification of concealed weapons at room temperature, astrophysical appli-
, · 1 1- , ~ , 1 · · 1 , · ~1 · , r ,1 · · , · · · ret
cations, and use as a diagnostic tool In semiconductor processing. l he Impact ot this project Is s~gn~-
cant, particularly with respect to providing excellent support for national interests in homeland security,
communications, and computing.
· The Nonlinear Device Characterization project characterized the phase error in the nose-to-nose
calibration of sampling down converters. This advance has uncovered a previously ignored, fundamen-
tal calibration issue that causes a large uncertainty error. Also, a more general, nonlinear definition of
scattering parameters was developed in collaboration with a University of Colorado faculty researcher;
it uses a matrix formulation and reduces to the classical definition for linear networks.
· The Metrology for Bioeffects of RF (Radio-Frequency) Energy project in support of the National
Institutes of Health is conducting research using reverberation chamber technology. Rats are modeled
by 0.5-liter water bottles, and the effect of multiple such phantoms on field distribution in reverberation
chambers is being investigated. This work should result in a more efficient and repeatable method of
evaluating potential health effects of low-level RF fields than that provided by currently available
techniques.
20
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NIST MEASUREMENT AND STANDARDS LABORATORIES: FY 2003
· Ultrahigh-speed photo detector measurements have been extended from 65 GHz to 110 GHz.
Further, the vector response a capability providing both the magnitude and phase of the frequency
response of high-speed detectors has been added. This important activity potentially addresses many
major new applications areas, such as wireless communications, microwave photonics, and test equip-
ment development and calibration.
· The Single Molecule Manipulation and Measurement initiative has made substantial progress
with the construction and testing of a micromachined magnetic trap fluid cell. The ability to sort and
store molecules should have wide-ranging applications in chemical and biological industries.
· The chip-scale atomic clock utilizes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) Cs vapor cell for
miniaturizing an atomic clock while keeping precise time measurements. This clock should be very
useful for homeland and military security and for wider industrial applications in which small, relatively
inexpensive devices to provide time standards are needed.
Program Relevance and Effectiveness
KEEL serves a wide array of customers, primarily in the electronics and electrical industries (includ-
ing utilities, telecommunications, and wireless industries), and microelectronics and optoelectronics
manufacturers. Laboratory efforts that support this work are included in the custody, maintenance, and
optimization of highly accurate standards for electrical units; precise calibrations of electrical quantities;
and the development of measurement infrastructures for semiconductor, superconductor, optical net-
working, magnetic storage, and wireless-based services.
The panel believes that KEEL divisions are doing an excellent job of providing services, interacting
with their customers, performing scientific research, and circulating the results of their investigations.
For example, KEEL researchers are world-recognized experts in the area of optoelectronics and have a
reputation for supplying the world's best calibration services. Interest in their work is demonstrated by
the high level of invited talks and journal articles that they produce each year. KEEL staff members
continue to participate in standards bodies and literally set the standard for quality in the optoelectronics
industry. Measurement techniques and calibration services in this area have recently been expanded to
support technologies under development for homeland defense.
Work in the Magnetic Technology Division features close collaboration between industrial and
government partners for the development and support of technologies of current national interest: for
example, high-speed nanoscale recording systems for the forensic analysis of tapes, magnetic field
mapping, and molecular manipulation as part of the Single Molecule Manipulation and Measurement
initiative. Discoveries from this division are providing solid underpinning for the next generation of
magnetic data storage and microelectronics industries.
Standards development, test methods, and services of the Radio-Frequency Technology Division
are supporting the radio-frequency technologies and electromagnetic compatibility needs of U.S. indus-
try. This division is actively involved in international and domestic standards activities to provide
physically correct test methods and calibration service for U.S. trade and to serve as an impartial expert
body for resolving potential worldwide measurement inconsistencies.
Industry views the Semiconductor Electronics Division's contributions as unique and essential to
efficiently providing measurement techniques and standards. NIST's being in a position to provide
methods and standards without bias is seen as extremely beneficial to the overall industry and is
unequaled by any other organization. No other body can provide this unique combination of skills and
capabilities.
The Electromagnetic Technology Division's development of quantum standards serves the elec-
ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
.
21
tropics industry with its voltage and capacitance standards as well as its sensors for X-ray analysis.
Novel X-ray and infrared sensors have been used in radio astronomy. The development of quantum and
nanoscale technology also provides the technological base for future sensors and standards. Terahertz
sensors have been used in a prototype of a concealed weapons detection system, and superconducting
circuits have been demonstrated for quantum computing that can be useful for revolutionary improve-
ments in computing, communications, and encryption.
Programs in KEEL clearly serve a broad range of scientific and commercial pursuits currently of
interest to the nation. In the FY 2002 report, the panel cautioned about the necessity to avoid supporting
programs that are no longer useful and suggested applying built-in checkpoints as a method to monitor
current and future interest in a project. This panel still does not see that formal checkpoints are being
built in to projects. These checkpoints would be specific times in the project plans at which input from
customers on the project's goals, objectives, and progress would be sought. These interactions would
provide an opportunity to validate the appropriateness of continuing programs and would allow for
midcourse corrections that take into account shifts in customer priorities or focus.
Laboratory Resources
Funding sources for the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory are shown in Table 2.1.
In January 2003, staffing for KEEL included 242 full-time permanent positions, of which 202 were for
TABLE 2.1 Sources of Funding for the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory
(in millions of dollars), FY 2000 to FY 2003
Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Fiscal Year
2000 2001 2002 2003
Source of Funding (actual) (actual) (actual) (July 2003 estimate)
NIST-STRS, excluding Competence 32.5 34.8 36.3 45.8
Competence 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.3
ATP 1.4 2.1 3.4 3.0
Measurement Services (SRM production) 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2
OA/NFG/CRADA 13.8 19.7 20.9 30.0
Other Reimbursable 2.8 3.2 3.2 3.2
Total 52.7 62.0 66.1 84.5
Full-time permanent staff (totally 259 244 242 242
NOTE: Funding for the NIST Measurement and Standards Laboratories comes from a variety of sources. The laboratories
receive appropriations from Congress, known as Scientific and Technical Research and Services (STRS) funding. Compe-
tence funding also comes from NIST's congressional appropriations but is allocated by the NIST director's of lice in multiyear
grants for projects that advance NIST's capabilities in new and emerging areas of measurement science. Advanced Technol-
ogy Program (ATP) funding reflects support from NIST's ATP for work done at the NIST laboratories in collaboration with or
in support of ATP projects. Funding to support production of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) is tied to the use of such
products and is classified as "Measurement Services." NIST laboratories also receive funding through grants or contracts from
other [government] agencies (OA), from nonfederal government (NFG) agencies, and from industry in the form of cooperative
research and development agreements (CRADAs). All other laboratory funding, including that for Calibration Services, is
grouped under "Other Reimbursable."
aThe number of full-time permanent staff is as of January of that fiscal year.
22
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NIST MEASUREMENT AND STANDARDS LABORATORIES: FY 2003
technical professionals. There were also 39 nonpermanent and supplemental personnel, such as post-
doctoral research associates and temporary or part-time workers.
Overall, the panel believes that the laboratory is doing the best it can to support its mission, given
the constraints of personnel and fiscal resources as well as aging equipment and facilities. In KEEL, the
budget gap is mended mostly through the painstaking and creative efforts of the staff to fill in personnel
gaps with postdoctoral associates, students, and part-time staff; to increase the levels of outside other
agencies (OA) and Advanced Technology Program (ATP) funding; and to use creative approaches to
build outside collaborations that result in the expansion of experimental resources. As an example, the
Semiconductor Electronics Division is partnering with SEMATECH to use its critical dimension (CD)
measurement capability to support metrology needed by the semiconductor industry. Additionally,
members of the research staff have volunteered their time to upgrade and recycle existing equipment to
meet the requirements of advanced experimentation.
Across the board, laboratory projects continue to struggle with non-inflation-adjusted budgets and
loss of personnel. These constraints inevitably restrict the ability to be responsive and, to a lesser extent,
innovative vis-a-vis the changing reality of metrology in an international context. The panel observes
that shrinking budgets create an ever-shrinking workforce. As more and more is asked from each
division operating under the constraint of maintaining legacy systems, salary increases with decreasing
budgets force the division not to replace personnel as they retire or leave. Additionally, senior staff
turnover due to retirement is expected to be high over the next 3 to 5 years, meaning that there will be
a loss of valuable expertise. Succession planning factored with strategic planning is critical to the future
health and survivability of the divisions. Such planning must be done before the staff shrinks further, so
that critical work can be continued while new capabilities are developed.
Examples of the impact of limited resources on the division' s effectiveness are available. The Time
Domain Measurements Group, for one, has turned down homeland security projects because of the lack
of needed human resources. The primary researcher on the Gaithersburg single-electron transistor (SET)
project is forced to spend months of his time dealing with commercial equipment failures. Unavoidable
demands of calibration services hamper the essential development of modern AC-DC transfer devices.
Each of these examples involves intensely committed staff members whose value is clearly recognized
by division and laboratory management and who are actively supported, based on sound judgment, to
the extent of current funding capabilities. But limitations on those funding capabilities are now having
a direct and negative impact. It must be made clear that this situation will likely not, in the panel's
opinion, be addressed by additional reallocation of resources, as has already happened for some projects;
because overall resource allocation is so thinly stretched, equally troublesome examples would quickly
turn up in other programs. The problem is instead related to the overall level of support.
A serious concern linked to funding is the occupancy and use of the new AML facility. The AML
buildings represent the state of the art in physical sciences research and metrology, with impressive
specifications for temperature, humidity, vibration control, and power; these buildings present a tremen-
dous opportunity for future efforts at NIST. The panel is pleased that detailed plans are in place and that
ongoing planning adjustments are being made, with operational units strongly involved, to accomplish
the move into the AML facility should funds become available. However, funding appears to be
inadequate for properly and effectively moving into and using this world-class facility. Although the
panel learned that efforts are being made to secure the funds needed, there is no assurance that they will
be provided. It would not appear to be sensible, or in fact sometimes even possible, to have current
equipment simply moved into the new buildings without significant interruptions of calibration services
or substantial risk to precious equipment. A realistic evaluation of the funding required to capitalize on
the nation's prudent investment in these new buildings should be made. There is significant concern that
ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
23
the facility's clean room, once operational, may be underutilized owing to insufficient capital equip-
ment. Finally, the panel is very concerned that the equipment operation and maintenance costs may not
be fully budgeted. The panel strongly recommends developing a plan that is comprehensive and that
aligns well with NIST's long-term strategic plan.
The lack of provisions for steady equipment infrastructure improvements is a perennial worry to
KEEL management, which realizes that the laboratory cannot remain at the cutting edge without con-
stant and systematic upgrading of the experimental facilities.
The panel again deems the current status of Building 24 on the Boulder campus to be marginally
functional. Although the condition of the facility has improved, its current state will significantly
compromise NIST's ability to perform near-field antenna pattern measurements as they continue to push
to higher frequencies (beyond 110 GHz); a prime example is the new Millimeter Planar Near Field
system. Continuing the development of facilities for higher frequencies will enhance the laboratory's
understanding of the limitations imposed by the current facility. In addition, the panel repeats its
recommendation from last year's report to significantly upgrade the Boulder facilities.
The Radio-Frequency Technology Division has envisioned and has developed a proposal for a
new, world-class radio-frequency electromagnetics experimental research and measurement standards
facility that responds to the status of electromagnetic (EM) field technology users and will enhance the
ability of NIST to carry out its mission to support industry. The panel believes that this new facility is
critical to the future success of the division and recommends that the effort be pushed forward. The
short-term plans for enhancing the existing laboratories will result in more resistance to developing the
RF-EM Field Metrology Laboratory: "There is nothing more permanent than a temporary situation."
Laboratory Responsiveness
The laboratory's responses to most of the concerns presented in the FY 2002 report, as well as the
speed and level at which these changes have taken place, are generally impressive.
First of all, the panel applauds the effort in the development of the KEEL Operational Plan and the
beginning of an effort to align KEEL projects with NIST Strategic Focus Areas. The panel recommends
the continuation and refinement of the Operational Plan so that it becomes broadly adopted within the
laboratory, as well as continuous communication with all staff members to ensure a higher level of
understanding.
One panel recommendation in last year's report related to the development of project evaluation
criteria key milestones with quantitative benchmarks. The panel saw significant efforts and progress
being made in this direction. The panel believes that this is one of the most important aspects in project
management and recommends the continuation of focused effort in this regard.
The panel notes significant progress in the establishment of a systematic approach for the use and
equipping of the AML. In particular, major progress has been made this past year in the development of
an overall clean room utilization plan and associated capital equipment list. The plan, which has been
agreed to by all of the NIST laboratories, is a major accomplishment. However, as discussed in the
previous section, the panel is still concerned about the inadequacy of funding for the acquisition of
essential and state-of-the-art equipment; the move of equipment and people into AML; the setup,
operation, and maintenance of the equipment; and the upkeep and maintenance of existing activities
during the move.
Examples of the laboratory's commendable responsiveness to the FY 2002 report include the
reorganization and redirection of projects in the Electricity Division to improve resource allocation and
productivity. The Electromagnetic Technology Division increased its staff size and added a new dilution
24
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NIST MEASUREMENT AND STANDARDS LABORATORIES: FY 2003
refrigerator to overcome measurement bottlenecks. In the Radio-Frequency Technology Division, sig-
nificant progress has been made in the automation of calibration processes an effort is to be com-
mended.
The Optoelectronics Division has increased calibration services for higher-power, fiber-coupled
power meters, extended high-speed photodetector calibration services to 110 GHz, and increased re-
search in the area of polarization mode dispersion measurement and emulation. The researchers from the
division greatly increased their visibility by leading industry workshops in this important field of study
and setting up a Web site for wider dissemination of results.
